Danganronpa: New Students of Hope and the Camp Trip of Despair
by monodoof
Summary: Danganronpa AU. 16 teenagers with remarkable talents have been chosen to attend the most prestigious school of the world. However, not everything goes as planned. Now, these students have been forced to participate in a very dangerous game that will put their lives at risk. Just what is going? Eventual Hijack warning.
1. 0 - Field Trip of Despair A

**DANGANRONPA: New Students of Hope and Camp Trip of Despair**

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**Alright! Hello there! I'm Monodoof, the author of this fic- my first fic, at that! I know you're itching to just skip this and get into the story, but I have some things I want to say beforehand!**

**First of all, while this is a story that has characters from Brave, Tangled and Frozen, this story will mainly focus on the RotG and HTTYD characters! The only reason I added the other characters was to fill in space because people don't like it when OCs interact with canon characters apparently? whatevs. In any case, what I said still stands; this will focus more on Hiccup and Jack than the other characters! The others will be glorified extras~**

**Second of all, this fic will inevitably end in Hijack! or Frostcup? but yeah, just a heads up! Not decided on the other ships tho. We'll see what happens.**

**Third of all, this will be a long fic! And maybe a bit slow? So if you're kinda impatient, I hope you don't mind...**

**and lastly! (holy hell this is getting long), if you're wondering what the heck a Danganronpa AU is... I suggest you just read on and see for yourself! Much better that way! I will say, however, that its kinda like a Modern AU but with a twist. **

**This story will be told from Hiccup's point of view mainly, with some switches here and there that will be indicated! Without further ado, let's begin!**

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Was there even a need for an introduction? I mean, pretty much everyone knew about the enormous, almost bordering on excessive, building that stood proudly in the middle of the city. Built on the highest point of the area, the almost-castle like school stood over the many buildings surrounding it with ease.

Yeah, you heard me well. This place was a school. A high school to be precise and when I say that it was enormous, I wasn't exaggerating. Not only it did it reach up to the sky, it also sprawled over the city for miles. It was its own, veritable, small kingdom.

You can only imagine the kind of kids that attend this high school, right?

And you would be correct on your assumption; Hope's Peak Academy was the very definition of 'we only accept the best of the best here'. Only the most elite could enter... And for a very good reason.

The school's purpose and motto is 'to raise the hope of this nation in order to give birth to a brighter, future'. And they weren't kidding about that. They went so far as to not accept applications. You had to be recruited by them personally. Only the most outstanding and talented students are scouted, and they would receive the best and most rigorous education in order to sharpen their talents.

And when I say 'talents', I mean 'true raw talent' . The people who graduate from this school are the best at their fields. Those who study at Hope's Peak Academy are assigned a title which represents their talents, in addition to to being called 'Ultimates'. Many important people who have graduated from this school are important figures in our world. Because graduating from Hope's Peak is synonymous with a brilliant, easy future.

Basically, attending Hope's Peak Academy was an impressive feat, and a great honor. Practically everyone dreams to attend this prestigious institution at least once in their life.

...Which brings us back to me.

My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III. Yeah, yeah, I can just picture your face right now, laughing at me. I don't mind, really. I'm far too used to it to care.

Anyways, I'm a 15 year old... fishbone of a high school student. Or so I'm told by my peers. B-but I'm not a fishbone! I swear I'm average...! It's just that everyone back at home are distant relatives of The Hulk! I have muscles! Don't let my twig-like arms deceive you! I'm strong! Why the other day I...

...Oh, right. Sorry. That's kind of a sore point for me... Anyways, I'm a high school student, ok? A normal high school kid who lives in the village of Berk. We're kinda in the middle of nowhere, what with us living in an island, but despite our Viking ancestry, we aren't uncivilized or anything. Maybe a bit brutish, sure, but we manage somehow.

I was just minding my business back at home when suddenly, BAM! My father bursts right through the door of my room, a letter in hand and a big grin plastered right on his face... or well, under his thick forest of facial hair. I shot him a wave and a 'Hey dad, what's up?' before he shoves the letter he was holding right on my face, urging me to open it with a not so very subtle tone of excitement coating his gruff, deep voice that I wish I had.

If I hadn't known any better, I could have sworn I had died and gone to Valhalla. As I read who had sent the letter, I also felt excited. Why, you ask? Considering all I've been telling you, the answer should be obvious: I was holding a veritable of invitation for Hope's Peak Academy.

I couldn't believe it- and neither did my father- and he bombarded me with questions and praises; the later being a thing that never occurred... y'know, since I was always occupied being the family disappointment. I mean... when you live in Berk, someone with my... aerodynamic build certainly looks odd in a village full of hulking muscle mountains. I know my Dad (Who is among the biggest ones in the village and the Mayor to boot!) wanted someone big and strong but... what can you do?

But I didn't want to dwell on that negative thinking right now... I was too excited as I scanned the letter, reading the usuals 'We at this prestigious institution!' and the 'We'd be honored to have you!' and as I read thorough the letter I kept wondering why I had been picked by them. What had I done to be noteworthy? I mean... as far as I knew, I haven't done anything interesting except for that automatic feeding station I finished a few weeks ago, but was that noteworthy enough? Did my inventions catch Hope's Peak's attention? If not, what did?

I found the answer to that question on the bottom of the letter.

And let me tell you, the excitement I had felt a few minutes ago was tiny in comparison to the disappointment I felt after reading that line.

'As the winner of our raffle of this year, you, Mr. Haddock, have been selected as the Ultimate Lucky Student!'

I got... into Hope's Peak because of a raffle? Because of dumb luck?

...So, in the end, I was nothing special, huh?

My father noticed my falling mood and asked me what was wrong. I simply gave to him the letter and pointed out the part that had bothered me. Boy, if I was feeling bad now I felt worse at the look my father had on his face. It was clear as day, the disappointment on his face. All the noise and congratulations died down and what was left was an awkward silence that dragged on far too long for my liking. He finally broke the silence, awkwardly shuffling out of my room, excusing himself with a few mumbled 'you should rest' and 'better start packing for the trip'. Even in my disappointment, I couldn't just refuse such an invitation, right?

As I was left alone to pack absentmindedly, my thoughts started to wander.

What kind of talent is 'Luck'? Was I really so... average that my only redeeming quality was my dumb luck? Was I nothing special?

The more I thought about it, however, the more sense it made. It was true; I was nothing special. Not the strongest, not the quickest, nor the smartest and certainly not the most handsome. Sure, I invented stuff from time to time, but 7 out of 10 things I've built end up self destructing. I was just your plain, normal teenager who often blended in the background. These thoughts were my constant companions through all my years, and they even manifested during the long, silent trip towards the Academy. My father didn't even speak a word to me during the trip, but that was normal as well. I didn't even have the energy for small talk either.

After that uncomfortably long drive, I stood in front of Hope's Peak Academy's gates, letter of acceptance in one hand, and my bag full of personal things on the other.

...By Thor... this place is truly enormous.

Even though I had decided back at home that I wasn't going to waste this opportunity to prove myself, I almost decided to turn back to Berk. That thought died when I saw my father wave goodbye at me and wishing me good luck from inside the car. Yeah, really funny Dad. And like that, he left. Not even a glance back. Perhaps he was happy he had gotten rid of the worst Viking to ever live? Probably.

And I was left alone, standing in front of the school gates. It was a terrible feeling but not an unknown one. I was almost always alone, the only company I had enjoyed recently being the one of my best friend.

As I thought of him, I smiled. Sure, he was a little odd, but he was the best friend a boy like me could ever ask for. He and I were inseparable, and I was glad my request of him attending to school with me had been accepted. It would make the school years more bearable and besides, Toothless, my bud, was hopeless without me, I swear!

Yes, that's another name you can laugh at. Did I mention we vikings have a knack for ridiculous names?

Thinking about him gave me courage. Toothless wasn't anywhere nearby, but I no longer felt alone. I wasn't going to be alone! So with that confidence in mind, I decided to look around the campus a bit before he arrived, in order to get a feel around the place.

Grabbing my bag and clutching my letter, I took a step forward into the school, and into a small foyer, my mind buzzing with the prospects of the future: sure, my talent was crummy, but maybe after studying here I would learn about my true talent? Not to mention all the classes I would take, and all the people I would meet! Sure, these were going to be actually talented people, but even though I found the idea of meeting them intimidating, I was also eager to meet the would-be celebrities!

All in all, I was scared, nervous, yet also excited and full of hope, but that was normal for a new student, right?

What was not normal, however, was the way the walls were wobbling. I mean what the heck? Walls and floors and everything shouldn't move like that. What's going on? I don't understand! Why... why am falling to the floor? Why can't I...move? Why is everything goin...g black...? M..my th...oughts... feel hea..v...y

Th...oo...th...less... wh...ere...? J...

Darkness. Even though it was a cliche description, that's what surrounded me. No matter how much I tried, nothing would cooperate. I couldn't move nor wake up, the grip of unconsciousness keeping me in place. I could do nothing but wait, and after coming to that realization, my consciousness drifted away to parts unknown.

**PROLOGUE: FIELD TRIP OF DESPAIR - BEGINNING**

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**Alright, the next chapter will be up soon! Please tell me if I'm writing Hiccup right its my first time, haha.**


	2. 0 - Field Trip of Despair B

**PROLOGUE - MIDDLEGAME - FIELD TRIP OF DESPAIR**

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**Well, this one took a while! Can you believe this chapter is like, thrice as long as the first one? I apologize in advance for this.**

**Not a very exciting chapter here, in my opinion, since its mostly character introductions. And I'm not even done with them in this chapter. I felt it was getting kinda too long (10 pages!) so I had to split this chapter sadly. Still, I think the ending will satisfy some of you? idk I guess I'm pacified too easily haha**

**Anyways, next chapter will be more interesting imo since the real plot will start but for now enjoy Hiccup being an awkward dork. I know I enjoyed writing him.**

**I separated character introductions with break lines in order to make all the text easy on the eyes. So, yeah, go on! Read!**

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As I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a different kind of darkness. Different how? Well, for one, I was actually conscious. This darkness wasn't absolute, either. More like, dim... with annoying, intermittent flashes of light... Gods, what was causing that flashing!?

I tried to get up from the floor. My limbs ached and I had that terrible after-sleep taste in my mouth but magnified by ten. Just how long had I been unconscious? Finally standing up, I noticed two very weird facts.

One, I was still in Hope's Peak Academy's foyer. What's weird about that? Well, everything! Because the foyer I had seen before had been reduced to a mere mockery of itself! Where once there was white, pristine floors there were cracked tiles caked in dirt and other substance I'd rather not examine.

Four glorious pillars used to support the ceiling of the foyer, but of the four now only one remained intact... the others reduced to rubble. The ceiling had previously hosted an impressive array of chandeliers but now all but one were nowhere to be seen, and the only one around was losing its illumination capacities, flashing weakly and constantly. Perhaps the most glaring difference, though, were the doors or windows. For you see, while the foyer I remembered had a nice number of them, the one I was seeing had none. Instead of having windows and doors, this mockery of a foyer had thick metal plates covering up every single window and door. And to top it all off, a set of surveillance cameras and what appeared to be guns were constantly aimed at us.

Yeah, I said us. Remember when I said I had noticed two weird things? Well, the second thing I noticed was that I wasn't alone.

Counting carefully, there were about other 15 kids laying unconscious around me. Or at least I wanted to think they were unconscious and not worse.

...All right... what in Odin's beard was going on?! Where am I?! Is this Hope's Peak Academy for real!? I remember walking into the school but this place had nothing to do with the part of the school I remembered! This looked like... like a dumpster! No... more like a war zone! Seriously, what's up with the windows and the metal plates and the guns?! This is all messed up! I didn't sign up for this! Did my father know about this? Did any of these kids know about this?

'WOULD JUST ANYONE TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON?!'

Without meaning to, I had voiced that last thought rather loudly, the desperation inside me getting out of control. Now, I like to think that I am a rather level-headed person but this was a little too much, don't you think?

My outburst roused the other kids from their unconsciousness, apparently, because all of them were getting up. Nice! Maybe one of them would know what was going o-

My hopes went up in smoke when I saw the confused look on all of their faces, and sure enough, the same queries I had were voiced by them as well.

'Where are am I?', 'Who are you losers?', 'What's going on, 'ey?!', 'Is this Hope's Peak Academy?!'

Their questions we're getting louder and their voices were getting more agitated. This was bad... if this got out of control, people could get hurt... Someone had to be the responsible one and calm them all down...

...I hate being the responsible one...

Gathering my voice as much as I could, I shouted: 'CAN YOU GUYS PLEASE SHUT UP FOR A BIT?'. OK, my voice kinda cracked a little towards the end, but hey... teenage boy voice, can't do anything about that...

In an instant, all eyes were on me. Aaalright... gotta keep this ball rolling... 'I-I know this looks pretty bad, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, OK? Let's all calm down and think this thoroughly before we do something we all regret...' OK, everything was going well...

'Why should we listen to a talking fishbone?!', said a snotty voice coming from an equally snotty-looking brat.

Great. Just what I needed. Another one who called me by that nickname. Fantastic.

'No no, he's right!', said a feminine voice coming from a blonde girl with the longest hair I'd ever seen, 'We should calm down and... assess the situation! Perhaps we can figure something out about this mystery!'

'I agree! Gathering information should be a priority on unknown situations', said a chubby kid with blonde hair tucked under a fedora.

'Well, I'll tell ya what I KNOW', said a lanky, blonde guy with a scowl in his face, 'We're trapped!'

'Well, that was insightful...', said a girl with pale blond hair that almost bordered in white.

'Well, what kind of info should we share?!', retorted the lanky guy again.

'How about introducing ourselves? That'd make things easier for all of us and maybe we'll learn something about our situation!', said a girl with the most colorful hair I'd ever seen. An amazingly bright suggestion.

'Fine by me', I said, with a shrug. 'Any objections?'

When there were none, I continued. 'OK, let's get this done.' I was trying to play it cool, but truth be told, I was kinda nervous. If my hunch was right, these guys were my classmates... which means they were almost like celebrities! I wasn't exactly thrilled to tell them about my stupid talent, but a viking's gotta do what a viking's gotta do...

I approached whoever was free and introduced myself to everyone individually... and the first one I introduced myself to was...

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A small boy, with bright blonde hair spiked up in all directions, who wore a simple yellow t-shirt with a black crescent moon styled on it, blue jeans and white sneakers. He was holding a sketchpad.

'Umm... hello there! My name is Hiccup. I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student... who are you?' The boy stood staring silently at me, before he dove right into his sketchpad, hand moving across the page wickedly fast. Perhaps he was shy?

A few seconds later, the boy showed me what he had drawn, a smile in his face. On the sketchpad, a self portrait of the boy-a damn good one!-was displayed, along with a set of words.

'Sandy Onirico, the Ultimate Dream Interpreter... My talent consists of listening to people's dreams and interpreting their meaning and giving therapy when needed...?', I read, 'That's pretty neat! Way better than my own talent...'

Sandy again dove into his sketchpad and wrote the following sentence: 'Also, I'm mute.'

Well, that took me by surprise. 'Eh, don't worry. I won't make fun of you... I'm hardly in a position to do so and I know its not funny to be made fun of... besides, you seem like a cool guy.', I reassured him.

Sandy's grin grew bigger after I said so, his stance growing more relaxed. Again, his sketchpad flashed in front of me, a simple 'Thank you!' on the page, followed by a 'You seem pretty cool too, Hiccup!'.

I chuckled. 'Nah, I'm actually a loser... but never mind me... do you... know anything about this...?', I asked him.

His grin turned into a scowl and a frown. He wrote quite hastily this time, 'Don't say that! You're nice!', before I could answer, he started writing again, this time with a sad expression on his face, 'And no... I was invited to this school and as soon I stepped in I passed out... and I awoke here...'

Well, that wasn't very helpful. 'Ah well... guess I'll ask around then. Thanks, though.' As I turned to leave, I shook his hand and said; 'Nice meeting you, Sandy! Stay out of trouble!'. Sandy merely gave me a thumbs up and a smile.

Who should I ask now...?

* * *

Soon I spotted the lanky blonde from before. As I approached him, though, I noticed he wasn't alone. A rather similar looking girl with hair as long as the boy stood next to him, and they were arguing rather loudly. And physically. Maybe talking to them was a bad idea...

'Oi, Fishbone guy!', the lanky guy said, as he spotted me.

Great. Chalk another up for my genes. Hilarious. Well... might as well introduce myself, no? I walked over to where they were and gave the same introduction that I gave to Sandy.

'What kind of name is Hiccup?', said the lanky blonde guy.

'Yeah, and what's up with your talent? Seems pretty lame.', the lanky blonde girl continued.

Not that I disagreed with her like that, but hearing your own talent being mocked by actually naturally gifted people kinda gets you down. Before I could get a word in, however, the blonde male spoke up.

'Whatever. Name's Tuffnut Thorston. You can call me Tuff for short.'

'And my name's Ruffnut Thorston, but Ruff is cool with me.' said the girl, pushing Tuff out if the way with a smirk.

Pushing against her, Tuff continued: 'Yeah? This loser you see here? She's my twin sister. Together we are known as the Ultimate Demolition Team.'

Huh! The way he worded that... well... I can admit when I'm curious... and these two guys certainly are... interesting. 'When you say... together... you mean...?'

Ruffnut suddenly put Tuffnut in a headlock and answered me: 'Yeah. We're twins so, the school probably got a kick out of it and registered us as a single student.'

Tuffnut managed to get out of the headlock and he tripped Ruffnut before continuing: 'Not like we care or anything. We kinda need to be together for our talent to work. Sadly.'

'And your talent consists of...?', I asked warily.

'DESTRUCTION!', said both of them at the same time. 'Demolition! Obliteration! Annihilation! Eradication!', they chanted, a blissful grin on their faces.

'Need something gone? Boom, we're there!' Tuffnut said, 'A wall in your way? BAM! It's gone!', Ruffnut chimed in.

'There's nothing that can stand in our way!' Tuffnut finally finished.

...Well, I can say for sure Hope's Peak Academy has it share of... unique people. Maybe I shouldn't mess with these guys. But I need answers, so I'm just gonna ask them if they-

'Well, you usually stand in my way.' 'Me? Tuff, you can't even drive a wrecking ball correctly.' 'And you can't even detonate a bomb!'

'I can!'

'No, you don't!'

'Yes, I DO!'

And now they're punching each other in the face. Marvelous. I guess I'll try my luck with another person...

* * *

As I left the bickering duo in my search of another person to interact with, I was surprised (no, shut up, I didn't scream) by the blonde girl with long hair that had spoken up before. She was wearing a pink dress, and was oddly shoeless, but by the grin on her face, she didn't seem to mind.

'Oh, sorry, for startling you', she apologized, her grin only falling a little.

'W-who, me? Startled? No way! I was just... a little... surprised, yeah!' Great going, Haddock. Just great, you're already showing everyone how awkward you are.

Trying to cover up my embarrassment, I introduced myself. To no one's surprised, she giggled. Do I really have to go through this for another 12 times?

'Hiccup... what an interesting name... the world sure is full of surprises!', she said with a look of wonder in her face. 'My name is Rapunzel Solaris. I'm the Ultimate Painter! Nice to meet you!' she said smiling even brighter while extending her hand in greeting. Well, she certainly lives up to her last name.

I grinned back and shook her hand. 'Ultimate Painter, huh? Nice to see someone who is also artistically inclined', I said.

'But I thought your talent was Luck?', she quizzed.

'Well, I'm not very lucky if I ended up here, huh?', I answered. She laughed lightly and breathed a 'true' in between laughs. Suddenly, she sighed sadly, 'I just wish I knew how we ended here...'

Now this was awkward. Gotta lighten the mood somehow... 'Er... yeah, as I was saying... I actually draw in my free time. I guess I'm not THAT good, though... compared to you...' I paused before continuing, eyeing her reaction. 'What do you paint, Rapunzel?'

She instantly bounced back from her moody self, 'OH! I do landscapes, mostly! I was actually scouted because of my murals! Apparently the painting I did was so good that the church I painted it on got a lot of visits!'

'Really? That sounds amazing!', Now that's what I was expecting. Truly talented people. Not some awkward dork like me...

Remembering something, I snapped my fingers before speaking to Rapunzel, 'Hey, you know who draws as well?', and as I told her this I pointed to Sandy, who was smiling at the twins' antics. 'He's pretty good at it! His name is Sandy, and he's mute.'

Rapunzel's eyes shined with wonder, 'For real? A mute artist... how very interesting! I've got to check this out!' She started to run towards the small boy before stopping and turning around to say, 'Nice meeting you, Hiccup!'

'Yeah... my pleasure!', I answered as smoothly as I could. Which was almost not smooth at all.

And with that, she stormed off. These guys weren't so bad after all. Was I overreacting when I thought they would be different from me? Probably.

* * *

I was so deep in thought that I didn't notice the guy who had crept right behind me and grabbed my shoulder and Thor Almighty why was I getting subjected to this? What's this, Creep-on-Hiccup Day? The guy, who was very very tall, and also very very pale, chuckled softly at my totally manly screech.

Now that I looked at him, he was very... unique looking. In addition to his pale complexion, he had yellow eyes and a pitch black hair. He wore an equally black vest over a gray t-shirt and also wore matching black pants and black formal shoes. Talk about making a fashion statement.

'Relax, I'm not going to harm you', said the guy in a low, smooth voice, 'No need to be afraid'.

Yeaaah... I was having second thoughts on introducing myself to this guy. But still... why shouldn't I? I mean, sure, I'm a viking but that doesn't mean I have to be rude...

I introduced myself and the guy laughed as expected. However, what I didn't expect was his answer. 'Hiccup, is it? Don't worry, you don't have to fear me or any bullying you'd expect because of your name. I'm not the kind of person to do so.'

'How did you-', I began, but the guy cut me off.

'How did I know? Let me explain. My name is Peter Black, but my... acquaintances... call me Pitch. I am the Ultimate Fear Expert', he said, a smile spreading through his lips. 'As you can assume from my title, I am very well versed on the subject of human fear. I can sense it, from words or body language, and from that I can learn a lot about the person in question', as he said that he started walking around me, his eyes scanning me over and over.

You didn't have to be a fear expert to tell that I was very freaked out.

'Their personality, their dreams, their secrets... all of that I can learn from tasting your fear. Given enough time, of course. But yes, I can learn all that from anyone and... use that information however I want...' another chuckle escaped Peter's lips and I shuddered.

I thought Hope's Peak admitted in talented people, not psychos!

'Now... I know what you're thinking...' Peter continued as he eyed me again. 'But as I said, do not fear me. I do not seek to harm you. I merely use my talent to help.'

At that, I shot a question in a distrusting tone. 'How can fear ever be helpful?'. I mean, I should know. Me and that emotion go way back.

I thought Peter would be angry at me for doubting him, but he merely chuckled. 'You will understand in time, but you have already seen the answer for yourself.' He finally stopped staring me and turned around to leave.

'After all, it was fear what made you speak up back then when everyone was arguing, wasn't it?', he finished, leaving me staring at him dumbfounded.

'Hmm, you are interesting... you and that boy... I expected good things from you.'

And with that puzzling remark, he left.

...Damn it, I didn't even ask him if he knew anything!

* * *

Annoyed at my slip up, I didn't even notice I had walked into the snotty guy who had called me a fishbone before. The guy was clearly annoyed at me, and his face contorted in anger as he recognized me.

Great. Making friends already. Such joy.

'The fuck do you want, fishbone?', said the snotty guy, pushing me back.

Okay, I was mad. Good thing I almost never get physical when I'm mad because now that I got a good luck at this guy... well, he was buff. And that was an understatement. He wore a brown tank top that was obviously picked to show off his body, along with some cargo shorts. His dark brown hair was long and straight, falling over his forehead, giving him a caveman look.

Yep, getting physical with this guy would certainly send me to Valhalla. So instead, I fought back with my best weapon, my sarcasm.

'Hey, I'm not a fishbone. My name is Hiccup and I just wanted to introduce myself and-'

'Pfft! Hiccup!? I'm not giving a loser like you, my name.' said the snotty guy. Why was even bothering with a guy that didn't even let me finish my sarcastic remarks?

Rubbing my forehead in order to calm down, I asked him: 'Then what I am supposed to call you?'.

'You can call me Snoutlout', he said, with a very obvious tint of pride in his voice.

Wow, and I thought I had it bad with my name. Hearing this made me smile. Unfortunately, Snotlout saw my smile and confronted me instantly; 'What? You think this is funny? Are you making fun of the Ultimate Heavy Lifter?'

Fearing for my life, I instantly backed off and made up a ridiculous excuse on the spot: 'No! I was just... happy! Yes! Happy to have such a tough looking guy with such a tough sounding name around us! I... I feel safer already!'

Snoutlout stared at me for a few seconds and... he smiled. I can't believe he bought that. I guess he isn't very smart...

A pat on my back broke my reverie. Snoutlout was patting me like an older brother and laughing. 'Hahah! Don't worry, Hiccup! You'll be safe around the mighty Snoutlout! I'll find a way out, you'll see!'

And with that, he left.

Certainly a very volatile and annoying person. Gotta have to avoid this one... my self-preservation instincts have never failed me so far.

* * *

Walking away from there a little faster than what I'd like to admit to, I was next spotted by a a tall, thin girl with a white labcoat, and a very colorful one piece dress. Her hair was all the colors of the rainbow and then some, and when she smiled, you could easily see a row of perfectly white teeth. When I smiled back at her, she instantly ran towards me. Huh, I'm guessing she's friendly then? I mean, she does look like the sort of girl that-

Is she sticking her fingers inside my mouth?! Yeah, she definitely is. OK... this is definitely almost too friendly.

'Can you pleathe get your handths out of my mouth?', I asked with certain difficulty.

The girl reacted to my voice and she looked like she had snapped out from a trance.'Sorry! I kinda get carried away when I see nice teeth... ', said the girl, blushing apologetically.

Well, I'm flattered, really. 'Ahaha... well, my teeth are nothing special, really...'

At that, she perked up, as if a switch had been flipped. 'Nonsense! They're clean and without blemishes! Sure, they're kinda crooked, but they fit you! They definitely compliment your cuteness!'

Great. Another blow to my self-esteem. Well, at least this girl thinks I'm cute... 'Well, thank you, miss...'

'Oh! Call me Ana Faerie! I'm the Ultimate Dentist! Most of my friends call me Tooth, though.'

Well, this talent I can understand! And well, I guess I'm not very surprised about her interest in teeth now. Still, I'd rather not experience that whole fingers-in-my-mouth thing again.

'Tooth, huh... I guess all of us in this school have weird names, heh...', and with that, I introduced myself. Surprisingly, Tooth didn't laugh at my name nor questioned my talent. Instead, she smiled and... now she's looking at my teeth again.

'It's a shame we're stuck in this place... I would love to make an appointment for you so that you could get some braces back at my office', she said, edging dangerously close to my mouth. Nuh uh, you are NOT going to mess with my mouth again.

Stepping away from her, I changed the subject; 'Wait... your office...? Aren't you a little young to have your own business...?

At that, she merely laughed, 'Well, what can I say? I'm an entrepreneur! My parents helped me set up the place and I'm doing well!', however, that change in expression didn't seem 'well'. Before I could ask her what was wrong, she finished: 'I'm worried about my clients... I really hope we can get out of here soon'.

At that, I nodded weakly. I mean, I didn't have any reason to leave but I can understand her not wanting to stay here. It's a rather dreary place, even for a tough viking like me.

I promised Tooth that I would visit her office after we get out of here to cheer her up, but now I'm worried. How can I avoid that visit now...?

* * *

After parting ways with Tooth, I walked around and I was met by an unique sight. All of the students I've met were fraternizing already, and seeing them all interact with each other honestly made me relax. Hearing laughs certainly made this weird situation more comfortable and easy to bear. However, I noticed a pair of girls at the back of the foyer, staying away from everyone.

Now, I wasn't exactly a social butterfly, but I know how it feels to be left out... honestly, on a scale from 1 to 10, being excluded was a 7 to me. With a courage that I didn't know I had in me, I approached the two girls.

Their reactions to my presence were... one of a kind, to say the least.

The girl on the left, a girl with light brown hair and green eyes that wore a a hiker's ensemble, blushed and laughed at me. Incredible, I hadn't even said a word and I was being mocked already? Must be a new record.

The other girl, this one I recognized... it was the pale blonde-haired girl from before. She wore a stunning blue dress that looked like it was made of ice, and her equally blue eyes were staring daggers at me.

What did I do to earn these reaction? Honestly?!

Still, I came over with a mission, and I was going to complete it. I introduced myself to the girls and... remember the blushing and the evil glare I mentioned before? Yeah, after introducing myself, those rose in intensity. At this point I would have preferred the usual laugh and mockery I got from my name and talent.

The brown haired girl was the first to speak, 'Nice to meet you! I'm Anna of Arendelle. I'm the Ultimate Hiker!' She said with a smile, 'And this,' she said, motioning to the girl next to her, 'is my sister, Elsa of Arendelle. She's the Ultimate Figure Skater!'.

At those words, Elsa's expression turned to one of anger. Note to self: this apparent Ice Queen had a fiery temper.

Elsa spoke softly to her sister, but in all honestly she was terrible at whispering, 'cause I heard the whole thing anyway; 'Anna! Should we really trust him? We don't know any of these guys.'

Anna didn't take the hint from her sister's tone of voice and spoke in a normal voice volume: 'Well, we now know him, technically! He's Hiccup! So he's not a stranger anymore!'

'Still, Anna!', said Elsa, not whispering anymore, 'We shouldn't let our guard down and get all friendly with these strangers! They might have been the ones that kidnapped us!'

Now, being falsely accused wasn't going to fly with me. 'Uh, in my defense, I only asked you girls your names because I don't know you. I mean, logically speaking, that's... the most logical thing to do, no...?

OK, that might have come out far more sarcastically than what I intended.

Anna laughed at my comment but Elsa was definitely not amused. Sheesh, if looks could kill.

'See? He's not so bad!', said Anna.

'...You only say that because you think he's cute...' said Elsa in that failed whispering of hers.

At this comment, Anna blushed furiously and she shoved Elsa slightly in annoyance.

Wow, awkward much? Yeah, I think I'd better leave.

Coughing a little, I told them I had to go, but I reassured them it was nice meeting them. Anna's expression was crestfallen but I'm pretty sure Elsa was smirking at the awkwardness she had caused between us. Reminding me again not to cross her, I walked away from there, fighting an odd feeling that I was being watched...

* * *

As I made my way back to the center of the room, I noticed a lot of movement coming from the opposite corner to the room. Walking all the way over there, I saw two girls. One of them had blonde hair braided into a ponytail and she wore a red headband. She was wearing a camo sleeveless t-shirt and metal shoulder pads, a red skirt and black leggings completing her attire, along with some combat boots. The other girl had a wild mane of red hair, and wore an elegant, emerald green dress. A quiver was strapped on her back, along with a nice longbow.

Oh, and these girls were fighting hand to hand as well. Guess I should have mentioned that. And when I mean fighting, I don't mean a silly slap fight like the ones you see after class. No, I meant an actual fight with technique. And it was getting heated... why no one else had seen the girls fight was beyond me, but now that I had seen them going at it... well, I had to stop them before things got out of hand.

The Mr. Responsibility inside me is having a field day.

Awkwardly calling out to them as I approached them, the girls stopped and looked at me with a scowl.

'Hey, I know we're all stressed and all, but there's no need to get physical on each othe- Whoa! What was that for!?'. The blonde girl had thrown a jab at me and I narrowly managed to catch her fist with my hand. Now I'm glad I took at least some of those self-defense lessons from my dad seriously...

The blonde girl and the redhead smiled, and she lowered her hand. 'Not bad, kiddo', said the blonde, 'Looks like you aren't all talk after all...'

Yeah, yeah, fishbone insult #9 of the day. 'Well, to survive on Berk you kinda have to at least be able to stop a punch...'

At this, the girls perked up, the redhead saying, 'No way! You, from Berk?! Guess you can't judge a book by its cover!'

'No kidding', said the blonde, eyeing me with her blue eyes, 'What's your name, warrior of Berk?'

'OK, first of all, I'm no warrior. I think I barely reach the squire tier in terms of power. Just because I come from the famous town of Viking Warriors of Berk... it doesn't mean I want to be one...' I told the girls before introducing myself.

'Well, for not being a warrior, you sure have the reflexes of one! I'd bet if you really focused on it, you could be very good! Heck, we could train together! I always wanted to train with Berkian Warriors!', said the redhead eagerly.

I shook my head, 'Nah... I really dislike confrontations... I'd rather avoid trouble... and I'm not the very best of my village so I can't train you that good either so.. sorry for disappointing you, Miss..'

At that, the redhead slapped her forehead. 'D'oh! Where are my manners? Mother would have had a field trip with this slip-up of mine... my name is Merida DunBronch! I'm the Ultimate Archer!'

'And, I'm Astrid Hofferson, the Ultimate Warrior', said the blonde who took my hand and shook it firmly. No, I didn't wince a bit at all shut up.

Awkward silence. Need to find a topic of discussion.

'So, Hiccup...'

Bless you, Astrid, for speaking up first!

'What kind of weapon do you prefer?', said Astrid, studying me again with those blue eyes. Was she sizing me up?

'Well, I can't really lift any of the weapons everyone else uses so... I mainly use rapiers and short swords.' I said while I rubbed the back of my head nervously.

Merida almost bounced from happiness at hearing this: 'Really? Hey, Hiccup! I wanna spar with you! I need new sword-fighting opponents!'

I was taken aback, to say the least. I politely declined for two reasons: one, we didn't have any swords, and two, I don't like the idea of pain.

Merida looked angry but Astrid kept looking at me. Did I have something on my face? Well, aside from... everything that was my face?

Finally, I asked her: 'Is there... something wrong Astrid?'

Astrid simply smiled and said: 'Your hands... are callous... for someone who doesn't like combat, that's pretty weird, don't you think?'

Oh. That? I thought it was something more important than that. I merely shrugged and told her: 'Well, I guess hands tend to turn out like that when you work the forge...'

They both looked at me dumbfoundedly, before Merida spoke up again: 'You? At a forge? You make weapons?!'

'Uh, yeah. And occasionally some of my own inventions...', it was weird, getting all this attention.

Astrid laughed, 'You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Mr. Luck?'

Merida laughed as well, and continued: 'Tell me about it! Once we get out of here, I think I'm gonna visit Berk specifically for you!' Astrid apparently thought the same as Merida, and said the same thing

Well, wasn't this nice? I'm going to get my butt kicked in my hometown by two girls. Y'know, staying trapped here didn't seem so bad now...

Still, after talking some more with these girls, I learned they weren't that bad. They were genuinely curious about the weapon making process and they actually laughed at my sarcasm. With a farewell punch on the arm courtesy of Astrid, I left them in a much brighter mood. Sure, all of these guys were way better than me, but they were also people, like me. And as I started to meet them all, I couldn't help but think that I was overreacting earlier. I thought for sure that I was going to be looked down on by all of them but now? I can actually say with confidence that most of them like me to some degree, and that was honestly an improvement over my apparent invisibility I had back in Berk.

Well, some of them seemed to hate my guts, but that's life, huh?

With a new confidence on my step, I proceeded to meet the rest of my classmates, almost forgetting our actual situation.

...But still, that feeling of being watched... I mean, there are 15 people here aside from me, so me being watched isn't something unthinkable... so why am I worried? Reprimanding myself for being paranoid, I approached a giant looking man clad in a red Christmas sweater...

* * *

My name is Jackson Overland. I am a 17 year old student of Hope's Peak Academy. I have a sister and...

Damn it, not again. Why can't I remember anything beyond that?

Ever since I woke up in this room with all these guys, I've been having these memory problems. I only interacted with these guys in hopes that talking to them would trigger a memory, but even after talking to all of them, nothing happened. And don't get me wrong, they're all nice and fun people, from what I gathered and I geniunely enjoyed their company after talking with all of them

Well, all of them but him. This one guy... who I hadn't talked to...

And there he was again, running to meet up with Nick, who hugged him in a tight embrace. That's the guy, the one who calmed all of us down when we woke up in panic.

I hate to admit it, but hearing his voice calmed me down a lot. It's not like the guy's voice was pretty or anything, in fact it was a bit nasally, but his voice seemed familiar.

In fact, almost all of him was familiar to me. His messy auburn hair, his green eyes, the freckles on his face, the stupid crooked smile and his small build. Yes... this guy... I feel like I know him...

Except, that... that I don't know his name. I mean, if I recognize this guy, I should probably at least know his name no?

But try as I might, I can't remember anything. And yet, seeing him doesn't really confuse me. Whenever I talked to these guys, I felt nervous, but seeing this fishbone of a guy... actually puts me at ease.

Just who is he? Does he know me? Does he know anything about me? And why isn't he talking to me? I mean, everybody else flocked towards me due to my white hair and appearence, but this guy? He has completely ignored me.

And he's never alone! I want to talk to him on private because I don't want my amnesia to be common knowledge, but every time I look for him, he's already chatting it up with someone else! For some reason, the fact that this guy is ignoring me is angering me more than it should. I mean, he's a stranger, and here I am, hoping he will at least look at me!

So here I am, watching this little guy run around, hoping that he will finally notice me in hopes that I can talk to him so that I can learn something about myself.

And you know what's the worst part of all this? I actually am enjoying seeing this guy move around, talk and laugh.

...Just who are you, fishbone guy?

* * *

**So yeah, Jack Frost tease. What kind of tease did you think I was?**

**Not very confident on my Jack Frost, tbh. Any tips for him will be greatly appreciated and any thoughts on my writing will be appreciated as well.**

**Monodoof out!**


	3. 0 - Field Trip of Despair C

**PROLOGUE - ENDGAME - FIELD TRIP OF DESPAIR**

* * *

**Monodoof here again! I know I said I would split the previous chapter and this one and I intended to post this chapter along with the past one but after some mulling... I rewrote this entire chapter. Now, the character introductions became more concise and I actually get to move forward with the plot! I'll probably rewrite the past chapter too but that will be done later! For now, enjoy!**

_**Hiccup's POV unless stated otherwise**_

* * *

Meeting the Ultimate Sculptor and the Ultimate Survivalist shouldn't have been this painful, but Nicholas North, the after mentioned sculptor, was a very affectionate man. A shame he expressed that affection in the way of back-breaking bear hugs. Aster Bunnymund, the survivalist, only added salt to the injury by snickering at my suffering.

Still, with all being said and done, they weren't such bad guys. Nicholas was huge and intimidating at first, but he was a jolly man who shone with innocence. And had a penchant for wearing Christmas sweaters even in this heat.

Aster, however, was less jolly, but that was to be expected. This boy sure looked like he went through some hard stuff and he showed it all over his lean, muscled body. I didn't even know you could get a scar there of all places! Still, the guy had a dry sense of humor, and for that, I appreciated him. At last, someone on whom I can use my Hiccup Brand sarcasm!

Even as I met the rest of the students, the surprises never stopped! For example, there was Flynn Rider (Totally a fake name, by the way. I should know. My name is Hiccup after all) who was an Ultimate Thief! Why would Hope's Peak Academy foster a criminal is beyond me, but hey! They accepted me, right? Still, I never expected a thief to be such a charismatic and loud person... but he seemed cool!

And then there was this guy who preferred to be known as Fishlegs. Apparently he is the Ultimate Encyclopedia, and boy did it show! This guy had an immense wealth of knowledge... and an irritating urge to spew them during conversation. Despite his smartness, the boy was surprisingly meek and timid and I could relate to him like this more easily. After learning about how leeches were used to treat wounds, though, I kinda had to back off. Like, Too Much Information, yeah?

Yep, this school had a vast array of personalities! Even though I was pretty boring in comparison to them, I was grateful to Hope's Peak for allowing me a chance to meet them! All 14 students...

Wait... 14?

I thought there were 15 people here aside from me? Did I miss someone?

At my realization, I started to look around for whoever I had missed. Geeez, I can't believe I ignored someone here... what if they hate me? I mean, not like it really matters if they hate me in the end but I'd rather not have another person against me.

It only took me about 10 more seconds before I spotted the person I was missing.

...OK, how did I manage to miss this kind of person?

Striking blue eyes were looking straight at me, a smirk spreading across this guy's face. Gaudy white hair stood out like a sore thumb and his pale skin only seemed to compliment his face. Like, this guy was incredibly handsome. Looks like someone got very lucky in the genes department.

As I approached the guy, I took notice of the rest of his appearance. He wore a blue hoodie and brown cargo pants and black sneakers. Geez, this guy totally screamed 'Mr. Popularity'. I don't want to judge a book by its cover but I dreaded his personality. Like, seriously! Cool clothes? Check. Illegally handsome? Check. I really hoped he wasn't one of those jock-like guys who picks on nerds like me. I didn't need that kind of plot line on my high school life.

Finally, after a walk that felt eternal, I stood in front of the guy. Gulping, I waved my hand nervously and muttered a quiet 'hello'. Alright, Haddock, don't mess this up...!

The guy in front of me smiled at my feeble greeting and oh Gods, why am I not surprised that his smile was perfect? This was doing a number on my already frail self-esteem.

The guy finally broke the silence and extended his hand to greet me. I awkwardly took it and shook it perhaps a bit too strongly. Realizing I hadn't let go of his hand, I dropped it hastily and coughed awkwardly. This was getting weird.

And no, I don't mean it that way. It's not like I'd never date a guy or anything (You kinda learn to not be picky when no one even looks at you), but... for some reason, holding this total stranger's hand felt... so right. Like I had done so a million times before. In fact, this total stranger... seemed familiar.

See what I meant by weird?

The guy looked disappointed by my previous action, so I actually talked this time to mend the awkward atmosphere: 'Hey... Uh... so... my name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, and I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student... and you are...?'

Smooth, Haddock, very smooth. Not.

Unsurprisingly, the guy in front of me exploded into a fit of laughter, but that didn't bother me much. I much preferred this than the look of disappointment he had previously.

After catching his breath, the stranger finally managed to utter an 'I'm sorry'. Straightening himself up, he continued: 'It's just... such an unusual name...' Coughing a little, he introduced himself: 'My name is Jackson Overland!' he said with a bit of pride on his voice, puffing his chest a little.

I laughed at that action. So this guy is Mr. Confidence, huh? I wonder what kind of talent got him here?

'So what kind of talent does the almighty Mr. Overland possess? Ultimate Good Looks?' I asked him, teasingly.

I was taken aback when his demeanor suddenly deflated. Had I said something wrong? Was his talent really that bad... or did I get it right?

Looking at me warily while he fidgeted with the hem of his hoodie, he paused before he asked me hesitantly in a low voice: '...Can you keep a secret?'

I nodded slowly, looking around to see if anyone else was near to eavesdrop. Seeing that one was paying attention to us, I edged closer to Jack to hear his secret. For some reason, Jack smiled at this gesture.

After a moment of hesitation, Jack whispered: 'I... actually don't remember my Ultimate skill or title... for that matter... I don't remember anything from before I got to this school.'

I looked at him with surprise. Now his deflating mood made sense. Still, in these cases, pitying him wouldn't be helpful at all. At least, I didn't like to be pitied whenever something bad happened to me. Trying to lighten the mood, I nudged him playfully and teased him: 'W-well, if its any consolation, you could totally pass for Ultimate Good Looks...'

To my relief, he actually perked and laughed. Pushing me harder than I expected, he retorted: 'No way, man! I don't want to have such an useless talent!'

Laughing, I pushed him back while giving a retort of my own: 'How are good looks a bad talent? It's better than Luck! At least with good looks you can get a girlfriend easily!'

Jack grimaced a little at that comment but he immediately perked up and grabbed me in a playful headlock: 'Why would I want a girlfriend?', he said while he started giving me a noogie, 'At least with good luck you can win the lottery and be rich!'

Managing to escape from the headlock, I caught my breath and rolled my eyes: 'Well, you're not mooching off from me if I ever get that lucky...'

Jack suddenly grabbed my arm and he leaned on it while a mock whinny tone coated his words: 'C'moooon Hiccup! You can't just abandon your memory-less friend in the streets without any money, can you?'.

The fact that this 17 year old could pull of a sad puppy face was impressive, to say the least. However, I had faced and endured better sad puppy faces than the one Jack was trying to pull on me, so I instead pushed him back and rolled my eyes at the faked look of hurt that Jack now carried. Still, the fact he had joked about his situation made me smile. It meant he was coping with his memory loss a lot better than before.

We spent a lot of time talking about a variety of topics, mostly about me since he didn't remember much about his personal life. I told him the origin behind my name (an old Viking tradition of naming the runt of the family a 'Hiccup'), I told him about what I did in my free time (I thought this was boring but Jack was pretty attentive and actually asked me to show him my drawings, weapons and inventions) and I told him about all the unfortunate mishaps in my life that made me wonder if my real title was 'Ultimate Unlucky Student' (We do NOT talk about the Yak-nog incident). All the while cracking smart-ass remarks and bouncing off each other the most ridiculous witty one-liners you'd ever hear.

Talking with Jack felt so natural. It was as if I had suddenly reunited with an old friend. An amnesiac friend, but a friend nonetheless.

...Friend...

It honestly embarrassed me that Toothless had slipped my mind. Suddenly a wave of anxiety shot through me as I finally focused on my best friend's whereabouts. Was he OK? Did he get captured and get tossed in here? So many questions and scenarios popped in my head and with each one my anxiety increased.

I guess it showed in my face because Jack suddenly asked me if I was OK.

And I wanted to hold my worries back. Repress them and say that I was fine, like I always did. But I didn't, because I felt that Jack would understand me. Pathetic, no? What kind of logic was that? I just went and vented on a guy who I was just starting to know and befriend.

Why was I even telling him about Toothless? Toothless was one of the secrets of the village and I wasn't supposed to tell any outsider about him. And yet... despite only knowing him for a few hour, I already trusted this white haired idiot enough to tell him about my bud.

...Oh, yeah... I never told you guys about Toothless in-depth, right? Truth is, Toothless isn't human. He's a dragon. And not just any dragon, no sir. He is the last known member of the Night Fury species, a dragon so powerful and fast that was also known as the 'Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death itself'... buuut, personally speaking, Toothless was just a big goof. Sure, he had an attitude (My father had the nerve to say he took after me!), but he was a smart, fun-loving lizard and he was extremely loyal and understanding.

After I was finished telling Jack what was on my mind, he... well, had to lie down for a bit. It's not every day that you learn dragons are real. Still, I was relieved to see he believed me. I was never gonna say it out loud, but it meant the world to me that someone actually believed in me. Talking to him also helped me calm myself.

Of course, Jack started asking questions after he recovered from the shock, unsurprisingly. If I had learned anything from the guy, it was the fact that he was very curious.

'What color is he?!' Black.

'Can he really fly and breathe fire?!', Yeeep.

'Why have I never seen a dragon?!', They're pretty rare and are only native to the Berk area. We kinda protect them, but only I actually interact with them. The other villagers are actually fearfully respectful of them.

'So you're a dragon conqueror?!', Now this made me mad. 'No, Jack, I don't conquer them, I just... talk to them. They can understand me and I can understand them. They're not my servants... they're my friends... Toothless is my friend.' I don't know why I was the only one in the village to do so.

Jack closed his eyes and nodded in apparent understating. A teasing grin appeared as he nudged me in the rib with his elbow, 'Still, Hiccup, that's pretty impressive! You can't deny that living with dragons isn't anything short of amazing!'

At that, I had to nod. I smiled as I remembered my first flight with Toothless, the exhilarating feeling of wind in my face and the surge of adrenaline I got whenever we went into a free fall. It was during those moments that I truly felt at home, comfortable with who I was. 'Yeah, he is pretty amazing, alright...'

Jack placed a hand on my shoulder and told me in a soothing voice: 'Relax, Hiccup. I'm sure he's fine! I mean, he is the Unholy Offspring of Lightning and Death itself after all!'

At hearing those words, I calmed down a bit. Muttering a sincere 'thanks' to Jack, I started to believe I was overreacting. Toothless would be fine! He was a dragon! Dragons are tough! Hell, I bet Toothless was looking for me right now! Yeah, nothing to be worried about!

...Of course, thinking like that was foolish. _Daring_ to hope in a place like this? Soon enough I would learn that this optimistic way of thinking of mine wasn't welcome on this dreadful place that relished in its destruction of all hope.

It all happened in an instant. No one could have predicted it. Not even an Ultimate Clairvoyant. Everyone was just chatting idly with each other, a weird mixture of energetic conversation and calm.

All that calmness was taken abruptly and torn to shreds by the horrible noise that flooded the opposite side of the room, which had exploded in a violent burst of concrete, dust and metal.

The dust cloud that rose from the impact dampened our vision, and everybody started to ask if everyone was OK. To our relief, everyone was accounted for and no one was seriously injured. We enjoyed a brief respite of security, a fake moment of happiness, before the dissipating dust cloud revealed to us the cause of such explosion.

What we were seeing defied common sense. A school bus had literally burst through the wall as if it were nothing, thick metal plates that previously covered the windows of that wall be damned. The bus was oddly intact as well.

However, my eyes only lingered on the bus for a few seconds before they focused on a dark form that lingered in front of the vehicle.

It was large, yet slim... its... scaly skin and big wings a deep black... _and... and he was so battered and bloody... an..d! And...! Oh Gods... his tail was missing a fin and blood was coming profusely out of it...! Not stopping... pooling under him...!_

This familiar form... it couldn't be... Toothless...! You're... just messing with me... right bud? Please... ! Get up... greet me like you always do... _please, bud... open your eyes... please...!_

I didn't notice when I moved, but I was already hugging him, not caring about getting soaked in blood. I gasped as I saw the severity of his wounds, lacerations and cuts so deep that made it hard to look at them. I sobbed when I saw his tail fin missing, panicking at the amount of blood that was pouring out. And as I sat there, trying to think on how to stop the bleeding and how to save my best friend and cursing myself for not being able to do anything, I heard a noise I couldn't believe I was hearing.

A sound I would grow to loathe for the rest of my days.

A laugh.

A big, booming, cartoony laugh. Cheerful. Mocking. Fake. A laugh meant to sound full of happiness but lacking any feeling. An empty, artificial sound that mocked me yet also chilled me down to my very core. A laugh that cackled at everything yet at nothing.

A laugh full of despair.

* * *

**I'm sorry yet I'm not. **

**Next chapter has one of my fave characters and I always look forward to writing him! **

**In any case! Please review! I really do need the help!**


	4. 0 - Field Trip of Despair D

**PROLOGUE - ENDGAME 2 - FIELD TRIP OF DESPAIR**

**So! Here we go again! Not much to say this chapter except that... well, I have some good news at the end of it!**

**For now, let's dive in into the story!**

_**Jack's POV this time around.**_

* * *

The world as we know it has a very firm set of laws that governs it. These rules dictate what is possible and what is not, and that is what we accept as our 'reality', what passes as normal.

What was happening right now broke all the rules of that reality, of that normalcy.

Not having memories is certainly not 'normal'.

Dragons being real was absolutely not normal either.

And that... thing who was laughing so hard that it had to hold its belly was not even close to my definition of normal.

Because what was in front of me was a stuffed toy in the shape of a bear. A stuffed toy that moved so effortlessly that it looked alive. A stuffed toy that laughed.

See what I mean?

What was in front of me was utterly bewildering, and yet it stood there, so out of place in this place. This thing... awoke something inside of me. A sense of dread so out of nowhere that it almost seemed primal. As if fearing this thing was a necessary instinct.

And yet, instead of running away from this stuffed toy, I found myself moving towards Hiccup, who was a crying mess. I instinctively stood in-between him and the stuffed toy, my back towards the freckled boy. I don't know why I did it, but it somehow felt right. Looking at the boy over my shoulder, I noticed just how miserable and frightened he was as he held the dragon in a hug. It was clear to me now that this dragon, who I assumed was Toothless, was very important to him. Somehow, this realization gave me a burst of courage. Why? I don't know, but this day was full of questions without answers.

Using that courage, I turned my head to stare at the stuffed bear. Now that I had my full attention on him, I noticed just how odd this stuffed toy really was. It wasn't very big, truth be told. Just about 30-ish centimeters or so tall. What was odd about him was his design; the bear was separated in two distinct sides by the middle. The left side of the bear was pure white, the only thing interrupting that pureness being a small, black spot-like eye. The left side was so normal looking that it actually made the right side of the bear more out of place. The right side of the bear was pure black, which accentuated the eerily big red eye which was shaped in an odd 'W'-like form. To complete the off-setting look, the right side possessed a big grin, totally in opposite to the more ordinary mouth of the left side.

This... bear and its existence was a contradiction and it design reflected that.

No one was moving, everybody either looking at the bear or the dragon, still in shock.

Finally, the bear spoke. He jumped off from the school bus' roof and landed just a few feet in front of me. I visibly tensed my stance as he did this but he paid me no mind as he addressed us all.

And when he spoke, he did so in such a cheerful tone that was so out of place that it actually made me shudder.

'Hey! Howdy! Hello! Is everyone here, then? Good! Now let's get things rolling!', said the toy as he danced around with every word he said.

That cartoony tone of his... veiled something sinister. It was as if a vortex of malice was hiding behind those words.

'Sorryyyyy for the delay! Something got in my way as I drove here but I simply smashed it to bits just like this wall here, ha ha! In any case, don't worry anymore children! Your beloved Headmaster Monobear, that's me, has finally arrived!'

After hearing those words, everyone snapped out of their dazed state, seemingly processing the meaning behind Monobear's words.

Soon, questions we're flung towards the self-proclaimed Headmaster.

'Is that stuffed toy... moving?!', asked Tuffnut.

'Don't be alarmed! I'm sure its just a very complex robot or something...' said Fishlegs in an unsure tone. The boy was actually sweating bullets and he looked scared.

'How rude! I am not a stuffed toy!', said Monobear in response, stomping his feet in anger. 'I am Monobear! I am waaaay too technologically advanced to be classified as a mere toy! NASA is so jealous of me, its unbearlievable! And as I have already told you... I am Hope's Peak Academy's Headmaster!'

'So, this really is Hope's Peak...', said Pitch in a thoughtful tone.

'Of course it is! I thought you guys were Ultimates, not Dumb-timates, sheesh! Where else would you be!?', said Monobear in response, mockingly.

This time, Aster stepped forward, shouting. 'Well, this place looks like a dump! O' course we we're wondering where the 'ell are we!'

Tooth also stepped forward and spoke: 'Yeah! If this really is Hope's Peak Academy... then why is it like this? I hardly think such a prestigious school would look like a war zone!'

At this, Monobear dropped his head, in an attempt to look sad, but his tone of voice still had that fake, forced feeling when he spoke. 'Yes, about that... that's why I've come to pick you guys up, you know? Hope's Peak Academy is going through some serious trouble... and as your Headmaster, it is my duty to protect you guys... so...!'

Doing a little spin in place, Monobear looked at us in an what I suppose was an attempt at a smile, speaking after he finished spinning: 'That is why we at the Hope's Peak Academy Committee have decided to take you guys in a mandatory Field Trip while we take care of this situation! Did I mention it was mandatory? Puhuhuhu!'

A tense silence followed Monobear's giggle.

None of this made any sense.

I didn't remember much of my time before here and even I knew this wasn't right. Everyone else started to voice their confusion soon enough.

'Hold on! This makes no sense at all!', said North.

'Yeah! I read the school pamphlet like, 30 times and it made no mention of any situation, field trip or you!', said Rapunzel.

'Yeah! I'm not going on any fucking field trip! I only came here to study in this place because they promised a bright future! I didn't sign up for this bullshit!', shouted Snoutlout.

Monobear just stood there as everyone voiced their discomfort. I wanted to say something too, but I was too focused on Hiccup to do so. The boy had stopped crying and he was now looking at the Headmaster with a thoughtful glare, his green eyes tinted red from all the crying.

A sigh pulled my attention back to Monobear. The Headmaster just shook his head before he spoke.

'The youth of today are really stupid...' and then, the malice that had been hidden behind his cheerful tone finally surfaced as he continued, 'Do you bastards know the meaning of the word 'mandatory'? I REALLY hope I don't have to explain this to you. You are to attend this Field Trip without exception.'

The Headmaster lifted his left paw and a very sharp looking set of claws popped out from it. 'Do you understand? You are not to disobey your Headmaster. Really, I thought kids like you would have at least that much common sense.'

Astrid and Merida suddenly stepped forward and looked down at the bear without fear. Astrid spoke first. 'I think you're the one who lacks common sense'. Astrid bent down and reached under her skirt, pulling a small combat knife from who knows where before pointing it at the bear.

Merida followed suit and took aim at the bear with her bow, 'Yeah. I mean, you do realize we outnumber you? You really can't force us to do anything, oh so called Headmaster.', she said with a smirk on her face.

Monobear just looked at them and as Merida let an arrow fly towards him, he sighed as if he were disappointed.

Everything happened so fast.

Suddenly Monobear had vanished from where he stood. As I looked around for him, I heard Astrid gasp and I turned around to look at her.

Monobear was clinging to her back, holding the arrow Merida had shot at him in his paw, pressing it near Astrid's neck.

'You bastards really are foolish.' said Monobear in his cheerful voice, though it sounded colder than usual. 'I already told you. You are not to oppose me. You are to board that school bus and to attend this Field Trip peacefully. Are we clear now?'

No one moved, everyone still trying to process what was going on. Had Monobear really moved faster than an arrow? It was as if the laws of this world didn't apply to him.

Annoyed at the lack of a response from us, Monobear hopped off from Astrid's back and walked towards the bus before declaring: 'You know, I really hope you guys aren't planning to overthrow me with your superior numbers...'

As if in response, hundreds of Monobears came out of the school bus, standing next to the one addressing us. Everyone's hope in the plan of overpowering Monobear went up in smoke at the sight.

We all realized it at the same time; our situation was completely hopeless. There was no choice for us but to comply.

Satisfied with the look on our faces, Monobear waved his black paw and dismissed the other stuffed toys, who disappeared as fast as they had appeared.

'Beary well, then! Nice to see you bastards finally grasping just how stupid it is to defy me. Now everyone, board the bus! We're going on an exciting Field Trip you'll never forget!'

As everyone grudgingly and slowly started to move towards the bus a quiet voice, but distinctly filled with defiance, spoke up.

'No.'

Everyone, including me, turned around to see who had spoken against the Headmaster. I didn't need to turn around who said so, though. I already knew, since I had heard this voice a lot. And yet, I had never heard the voice of this person with such an... intense feeling behind his voice.

Hiccup was standing with his head bowed, shaking visibly. But there weren't tears or sobs coming out of him anymore. His stance was tense and his small, freckled hands were balled into fists.

Monobear simply tilted his head at the boy. He spoke in a completely carefree tone: 'Huuuh? What do you mean, 'No.'?'

Hiccup spoke up again, this time more loudly than I had ever heard him talk. 'I'm not going to your stupid Field Trip or whatever!'

At this, Monobear stood silently, as if processing what Hiccup was saying. Before the Headmaster could utter a response, Hiccup spoke up again, this time practically shouting.

'Y-you! You did this to Toothless, didn't you?', Hiccup said as he pointed an angry finger at the Headmaster, 'When you said something got in your way and that... that you s-smashed him to bits...! You meant... you meant you did this to him with that stupid bus, didn't you!?'

More silence from the stuffed bear. His vacant stare never left the small Viking as he continued his outburst.

'I'm... NEVER! Going along with someone... who did THIS to my friend! Never!', said Hiccup as he glared at the bear with such an intense hatred that it looked like the green in his eyes were like flames.

After a few seconds, Monobear spoke up in a flat tone. 'Are you done?'

Hiccup merely stood there, dumbfounded at the calm response of the stuffed toy.

Monobear continued. 'So what if I did run over him? That stupid lizard got in my way, so OF COURSE I ran him over with my Super Deluxe School Bus! Really, that overgrown gecko was stupid enough to get in my way, so he got what he deserved! I mean, trying to stop a bus with your own body? Utterly idiotic! Ahahahahahaaa!'

Monobear's taunting laugh and explanation made Hiccup snap. Worried that he would get hurt if he dared to fight the Headmaster, I grabbed him as he ran past me in an attempt to attack the bear.

Man, for being so small, he certainly was strong. Despite how small his arms were, whatever muscle was in there was toned. Despite my surprise, I managed to hold him back in a tight embrace, as he violently struggled and kicked in a desperate attempt to get free and exact his revenge on the monster that had hurt his friend.

Monobear simply smiled at the boy's struggle, and laughed again, before speaking, 'Aww, but that's too bad... you have no say on whether you want to go or not... but if you're being that rude... then I guess I'll just let your overgrown lizard here to die...'

At those words, Hiccup stopped struggling. Holding him back was actually tiring, and though I hated Monobear for what he was doing to my... friend?... I was grateful his taunting had made Hiccup stop.

'...What are you saying?', said Hiccup, his voice still tense and angry.

I swore Monobear's red eye lighted up as he spoke, a malicious tone permeating his words, 'All I'm saying is... your stupid lizard is baaaadly injured... and he doesn't seem like he'll hang on to his life any longer... And y'know, we at Hope's Peak... well, let's just say we're the best at treating student's injuries. But we only do that for kids who behave... and actually follow orders from their smoking hot Headmaster! Do you understand?'

So that's it. He was trying to coax Hiccup wit a promise. A promise to heal Toothless.

But why was it so important that we attended this Field Trip, to the point of resorting to bribery and violence? There was obviously an ulterior motive behind this Field Trp, and yet...

We were being forced to participate. This feeling of knowing that something was wrong and yet being unable to do anything about it... it could only be called despair.

As if to drive the point home, Monobear's cheerfully fake voice filled the room once again. 'Not like you really have a choice. You can come with or without your stupid lizard alive. The end result will still be the saaameee! 16 students will attend this Field Trip, whether you like it or not!'

I had enough. I shook Hiccup a bit to get his attention, and the look of sadness he gave me almost broke my heart. He looked absolutely miserable and torn, unsure of what to do. This look, however, motivated me to speak up in an attempt to comfort him.

'Hiccup... you... you should just go...'

Hiccup's sad eyes quickly turned into a glare as he pushed me away and spoke back at me with disbelief. 'Jack...! Are you crazy...? Are you seriously trusting this... this toy?!'

No. No I wasn't. But I knew that losing Toothless would hurt Hiccup more than anything in this world. I didn't want to trust Monobear... but this was the less painful path.

I shook my head as I spoke to the terrified Viking in front of me in a soothing voice. 'Hiccup... I don't trust the bear that much... but I do know this.' I walked towards Hiccup and put my hand on his shoulder, 'I know how much Toothless means to you... and if cooperating with that stuffed toy can save him... then I think it's worth the risk.'

Hiccup looked at me, uncertainty filling his green eyes, before he lowered his gaze and nodded.

It's funny. I have no memories of anything besides my name and age, and yet talking and being with this fishbone of a guy has kept me calm in this weird situation. I am afraid, yet I am not paralyzed by it, just by being around a guy who I've never met. And yet... the same odd feeling of familiarity strikes me as I look at his hair full of messy auburn hair. A feeling of wanting to be close to him, to protect and comfort him.

Truly, the world was not making any sense anymore. But this was my reality now.

Monobear rudely intruded in that reality by clearing his throat obnoxiously. 'Well, if the lovebirds are done, I'd like to start this Field Trip already! Everyone board the bus. Now.'

L-lovebirds? Of all the comments that Monobear had uttered, this was the one that actually got under my skin?

I noted Hiccup was blushing as he stepped away from me. He looked hesitantly at Toothless before marching towards the bus, which everyone else had already boarded. I made my way towards the bus shortly after, hurrying after him.

Once inside the bus, I looked around for Hiccup. It didn't took me long to find him huddled at the farthest seat in the back, sitting by himself. I walked over there quickly and sat next to him. Hiccup barely acknowledged my presence, understandably full of worry.

Soon, a group of Monobears in nurse and doctor costumes rushed in, carrying Toothless to the back of the bus, upon where they started to treat him, or so I supposed. Hiccup looked at the Monobears working, his gaze never leaving them. He actually jumped back when I put my hand his shoulder in order to reassure him. I offered him a weak smile, doing my best to appear calm. He returned the smile weakly as well, before turning his attention back to the stuffed toys who were moving too fast for us to see what they were actually doing it.

...Damn it! Why can't I find the words needed to calm my friend? I always had a joke at ready to lighten any mood but this time it was different! How infuriating!

Monobear, that is THE Monobear, jumped up to the drivers seat and addressed us all in that cartoony voice of his: 'WELL! It took us some time but we're finally ready to start our very exciting, heart-throbbing Field Trip! And about time too! I was getting sooo bored! So without further ado, let's depart!'

Saying this, the Headmaster plopped down on the drivers seat. But instead of taking the wheel, he pulled a lever next to his seat. In an instant, the bus' door closed and a green gas started to fill the bus.

As everyone panicked and stood up at the sight of the gas, myself included, Monobear's voice rang through the whole vehicle, 'Now, I realize the life of a high school student is filled with stress and worry. So that's why I decided to help you guys! This gas will help you guys get some much needed shut-eye! Puhuhuhu! Aren't I a thoughtful Headmaster?'

And sure enough, the effect was almost instantaneous. My limbs started to lose strength as I flopped back into my seat, my eyes struggling to stay open.

In my last moments of consciousness, I felt the bus move. It gained speed and for some reason it jerked violently in an upwards direction. However, before I could make any more observations, I succumbed to the gas' effect and fell into a deep slumber.

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**Is this going to become a thing? Well, wouldn't be a mystery novel if we didn't abuse the 'protagonist falls unconscious´trope.  
**

**Now for the good news! I have found myself with an ample amount of free time... which means more time to write these chapters which also means chapters will be uploaded at a more steady pace! Neat, no? In fact, expect another chapter either today or tomorrow! And that's all you're gonna get from me today! Cheers!**

**...Just kidding! First, I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews! I'm gonna thank you all directly for that. Much appreciated! Really, it makes me feel confident in my writing, due to English not being my first language. So, really, thank you! Beary much so!**


	5. 0 - Field Trip of Despair E

**PROLOGUE - ENDGAME 3 - FIELD TRIP OF DESPAIR**

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**Sorry for the delay! I had computer problems and I couldn't upload this chapter in time, ahahaha...  
**

**Well, nothing can be done about that! I did manage to write a lot of the next chapter while my computer was out of comission, but I'm... going to need your help a little. I'll explain at the end of the chapter. In any case, enjoy!**

_**Hiccup's POV**_

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Everything was a mess. Our whole situation was a mess. My mood was a mess.

Toothless was a mess.

At this thought, I woke up in an instant and shot up from my seat, only to smack my forehead against something hard. No better way to wake up, I suppose.

Rubbing my forehead to ease the pain, and biting some tears, I opened my ears and saw the thing I had smacked my head with. Or rather, the idiot I had smacked my head with.

In front of me was Jack, who was also rubbing his forehead and muttering some "ouch"es. Noticing that I was awake, he gave me a sly grin and greeted me: "Morning, sleeping beauty."

I returned a feeble smile. Truth be told, I was grateful for everything Jack had done. This guy really knew how to lighten up the mood. Still, I started to look around for my bud, worry increasing when I failed to see the mass of black scales I was used to see.

A hand on my shoulder startled, and I turned to see Jack giving me a reassuring smile while his grip on my shoulder got stronger. Huh, guess I really had 'Going crazy from worry' written on my face. Still, I relaxed a bit. Seeing this, Jack spoke.

'If you're looking for Toothless... Monobear took him. He said... that if you wanted to see him, you had to come see Monobear first.' He paused, grimacing a bit before continuing, 'Well, actually, he told us all to come see him, but the last bit was aimed specifically at you.'

Huh... Just what was that stupid toy plotting? His carefree nature didn't fool me, he was a cunning one, that Monobear. Still... I didn't really have a choice... I had to see if Toothless was alright. Sighing at the fact that Monobear had me wrapped around his... paw? ...I stood from my seat, Jack copying my action almost instantly.

'So... where is our beloved Headmaster anyways? For that matter, where ARE we?' I asked Jack, sarcasm obviously dripping from my question as I mentioned the hateful bear.

At this, Jack blushed a bit, and he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly before answering, 'W-well... you see... I haven't actually left the bus... like, at all. I couldn't exactly... you know... just leave! S-so... yeah...'

Seeing Jack stutter actually made me laugh out loud a little, my laughter actually making Jack blush even harder. I understood what he was trying to say. Man, I guess I really worried him, what with me being the last to wake up, apparently.

'Well, no use in staying here...' I said, trying to control the smile in my face as I made my way to exit the bus.

Grateful that I had dropped the subject, Jack's eager smile returned to his face as he literally bounced to catch up to me. 'You're right! Let's get outta here!'

I should have been nervous. Fearful, even. Monobear had Toothless and I was walking towards him, potentially walking into a trap. And yet the teen beside me filled with me with confidence. Perhaps it was because of his attempts at making me race him to the front of the bus? I dunno, but his carefree nature was welcome in this tense situation.

After telling Jack that no, I wasn't going to race him and that no, that pout of his wasn't going to work on me (and like, seriously? You're 17 and you're pouting?) ,we reached the front of the bus, and with a hesitant step, we exited the vehicle.

Of all the things I was expecting to find outside... the thing I was seeing was certainly not within my expectations.

A sea of green exploded in front of me, so many trees clustered together and growing tall and strong, their leaves fluttering softly with the warm breeze that blew through them constantly. We had stepped into a small clearing in this sea of trees, a dirt path extending in front of us as it led deep into the forest. It was so peaceful and quiet, the blue sky complimenting the atmosphere... Gods, I could even hear a stream somewhere! This place was absolutely amazing!

...Well, except for the alterations done to it, courtesy of the beloved Headmaster.

The bus behind us was the first obvious offender, its screaming yellow color, dilapidated exterior and Monobear motifs on its sides seriously clashing with the natural atmosphere. But that wasn't the thing that caught my attention. Behind the bus stood a giant gate, stretching upwards, easily dwarfing the trees. The gate was made of metal, a complex lock securing it shut, the thickness of the material easily apparent to us; No way we we're going to be able to dent that. As if to make it even more apparent that we weren't going to leave through there, two massive gatling guns were mounted on either side of the gate, along with a security camera. A crude wooden sign that read 'Camp Despair' stood on top of the gate, completing the look.

But that wasn't the only modification Monobear had installed on this forest. Connected to the gate stood an equally as tall and thick metal wall, which extended deep into the forest beyond our sights, making an effective fence. Guns and cameras were also installed sporadically in it. And on top of the wall, spiked wire which visibly carried electricity was installed as well.

Well, if there was ever a way of saying 'You're trapped! Don't even try to escape!', this was it.

Jack shook my shoulder, and I turned around to see what was he pointing at. Nearby the dirt path was another camera installed on a tree, and nearby a monitor was neatly nailed into a neighboring tree.

'Charming', I deadpanned. This bear really had us on constant watch huh? But that monitor... what was it for?

Jack snickered at my comment before he looked at the sky, his mouth agape. I turned my sight towards the sky and let's just say I was more than a little dumbfounded at what I saw.

A massive, needle-like tower rose towards the sky, rising so high it got lost into a thick cluster of clouds.

'What do you think that is, Hic?', said Jack, the wonder in his voice barely contained.

I shook my head, truthfully answering 'I don't know'. Just... what was going on? What was this place? Why did Monobear takes us here and why di- Did Jack just call me Hic?

'Jack... please don't call me Hic...'

'Hey! Friends give each other nicknames! 's all in good fun!

'Oh yeah...? How about I call you-'

'If you're gonna call me Jackass, you're so gonna regret that later, Hic.'

'Oh really? What'cha gonna do, Jacka-'

'Glad to see you're feeling OK enough to bicker like this.'

I had just finished giving Jack a playful punch in his arm and he was going to grab me in a headlock when our playful bickering got interrupted by a female voice. In front of us stood Astrid, Sandy and Merida, who were eyeing us with a smirk on their faces.

What's up with that look, though?

For some reason, those stares made me a lot more self-conscious than ever before. I felt a blush creep on my face. Why in Thor's name are they smirking at us like that?

Trying to fight this feeling of embarrassment, I spoke up. 'Oh... y-yeah... I've calmed down a little... still worried about Toothless, though...'

At this, Sandy smiled, obviously relieved, but the girls were far more interested at my mention of my bud.

Astrid walked right in front of me, a frown on her face. She looks at me like that for about 4 seconds before a playful grin spreads across her face, followed by a punch to my arm.

I really hope this doesn't become a thing.

'You're just full of surprises, aren't you, Berkian Warrior?', said Astrid.

'Yeah! Never expected to see a dragon in my life!', said Merida, obviously giddy at the thought of a dragon.

'W-well, they aren't exactly common and... w-wait... Berkian Warrior?', I asked, stammering a little.

'It's apparently a Hofferson Tribe tradition', said Merida before Astrid could answer. 'You wouldn't believe how many times she called me 'Dunbronch Warrior' before I asked her to call me by my name.', said Merida, rolling her eyes.

Sandy's sketchbook was displayed towards Astrid, a question written on it: 'Hofferson Tribe tradition?'

Astrid nodded. 'Yeah, we call any fellow warriors by a title instead of their name, out of respect. Unless we're asked by the warrior itself, we won't use their first name.'

'You didn't call me Overland Warrior when we talked, though...' said Jack with a questioning tone.

Astrid smiled mischievously, 'Well, that's because you obviously aren't a warrior'.

'Great, somehow a fishbone and a girl are more warrior-like than me...' said Jack in a fake hurtful tone, obviously acting self-depreciative in order to make us laugh. Which we did, Sandy even writing a 'Hahahaha' on his sketchbook, which only intensified our laughter.

'Well, you can call me Hiccup, Astrid. I don't really mind... plus, Berkian Warrior sounds too mighty for me...', I said, after catching my breath. Astrid nodded without talking, still laughing. She really didn't look like a warrior while laughing.

'I dunno Hic... talking to dragons is pretty mighty if you ask me.' said Jack while he poked me in the ribs with his finger. I slapped his hand away in annoyance, both at that nickname and the gesture. Being ticklish was not something I wanted to let Jack know. Gods, who knows what he would do with that information...

Of course, that little comment of his intrigued the three teens before us, but before they could start bombarding me with questions, I asked them: 'Have... any of you seen Monobear...?'

At this, the group stiffened. Sandy nodded slowly, while Merida spoke up: 'Yeah... he... actually sent us to pick you guys up. He said he was tired of waiting and he said he needed us all in the Camp Square for a special announcement...'

At this, Jack and I exchanged a look. This... feeling of dread... wasn't only mine, it seemed. But I had to go, for Toothless... no matter what.

'Come on, we'll show you the way. We came from there after all.', says Astrid with a cold, restrained voice, as she leads us down the dirt path. As we walk down that road, a Monobear-shaped post sign that reads 'Camp Square' can be seen, the sign pointing down the dirt path. Among the many trees that surround us, I can make out more cameras and monitors.

No one really talks as we make our way through the forest, the atmosphere too tense with anticipation. Even Jack is oddly silent, not making any cracks or comments. He does, however, sporadically turn to see me, a look of worry in his eyes.

Gods, really? Why did I have to blush at that gesture? Am I really that starved for attention that the most simple act of kindness made me turn red? Pathetic.

Finally, after some more awkward minutes of walking in silence, we exit the forest into a big clearing. It is devoid of grass and any natural things, not even a rock or pebble in sight. The only distinctive landmarks in this barren, sad circle of dirt is a flagpole in the middle of it, the Hope's Peak Academy flag perched on it, flapping in the wind. A lone speech booth sits at the base of the flagpole, empty and devoid of bears.

Strange. Didn't Monobear say that he was going to tell them something important? If so, where was he?

As I walked towards the flagpole, I noticed the rest of the student huddled in front of the booth. To my surprise, almost all of them surrounded me, obviously worried about me. I was taken aback. I mean... I thought for sure they'd be scared of me because of Toothless but... they actually worried about me. To say I was touched by this would be an understatement. If I weren't such a tough Viking, I would probably have cried a little bit right there.

Well, not everyone was happy to see me, truth be told. Elsa was still looking coldly at me and Anna, apparently mad that her sister was near me.

Then, I was shoved hard into the ground by someone. Before I could register who had done so, I heard a snotty laugh and that's all I needed to hear to know that my #1 fan, Snotlout had done so.

'Looks like the sleeping crybaby finally woke up from its nap!', said the beefy guy, a jeer on his face.

'Nice to see you again, Snotlout', I said, sarcasm obvious in my tone as Jack helped me get up. I caught a glimpse of his face and boy, his eyes practically screamed murder.

Before he or I could do anything, Astrid beat us the punch, literally. The blonde warrior uppercuted the brute so fast he didn't see it coming.

'I like her already', whispered Jack to me, smiling. I silently nodded, also smiling, while I dusted myself off.

Snotlout is rubbing his jaw while laying on the floor, still dazed, before shooting an angry glare at Astrid. 'What was that for?!', he asks angrily.

Astrid smirks before answering, 'Sorry, its just that I have a natural urge to punch jerks and idiots'. Jack, the twins and Flynn erupt into laughter, and even I have to hold back some chortles. Snotlout gets up, face red from embarrassment, and distances himself from the group.

'Thanks, Astrid.'

'Don't worry about it, Hiccup.', she says dismissing my thanks. 'I wasn't lying when I said that.'

I frown a little at that. 'But... you already punched me in the arm like, twice.'

A silence envelops us all before everyone starts laughing at my comment, even the calm and collected Peter chuckling a little. I could swear even Elsa was fighting the urge to smile.

Suddenly, I feel someone recline on me, their arm around my neck. Jack is just barely hanging onto me, doubled in laughter. 'Oh man... Hiccup...! You're a riot!', he says between laughs, his face lit up with happiness and joy.

Gods, I really liked seeing him so happy.

'No, Jack. I'm not a riot. I think we just established I was a jerk and an idiot.' I say, waiting for his reaction. I didn't have to wait long. Everyone started laughing again, and Jack is on the floor, rolling with laughter.

This moment of peace, of laughter and fun... We were in a strange place but unknowingly, we had started to feel comfortable again. Enjoying each other's company.

Of course, HE wouldn't let us have this moment. Not a chance.

A sound of static fills the air, and a shriek snaps us out of our joyful moment.

'Aah! Aah! Mic test! Mic test! Can you hear me?', the all-too familiar voice asks before continuing, 'Ah, whatever~ Let's just start this thing!'.

You could cut the tension in the atmosphere with a knife. That warm, fun moment was destroyed simply by the voice of the weird toy bear that called himself the Headmaster.

And sure enough, the Headmaster himself appeared shortly after jumping comically into the speech booth. Sitting there, motionless, the bear looked harmless.

But I wasn't fooled by that facade. This toy was a monster. A monster that had hurt my friend willingly. I had to hold back my anger, lest I do something stupid and reckless.

I really wanted to do something stupid and reckless.

Monobear takes a look at all of us before speaking in a worried tone. 'Awww, why so moody guys? Relax! I may be a beary strict Headmaster but I do allow fun, you know? After all, the whole purpose behind this field trip is to make you guys have fun!'

'Really?' Tooth asked warily.

'Then why did you knock us out with sleeping gas?' said Fishlegs, adding his question to the pile.

'And the gates, fences, surveillance cameras and guns... not exactly my definition of fun here, yes?', finished North.

Monobear cocked his head to the left, his white paw coming ear his mouth, as if he was confused by all these questions. 'Huhhh? I thought I had explained this to you guys already! Don't make me repeat myself, I hate that! Don't make me repeat myself, I hate that! ...Oops!' Monobear blushed, the embarrassment at his blunder almost believable.

Almost.

Snotlout, who had been silent up until now, shouted at the bear, 'Just tell us why the fuck you did all of that!'

Monobear looked at the Ultimate Heavy Lifter with an amused grin, 'Puhuhu! Looks like Mr. Jerk-and-idiot lives up to his name! You aren't very smart are you?'. I can hear Tuff and Ruff snickering. Guess today was Pick on Snotlout Day, not that I minded.

'Fine! I'll repeat for you guys one more time! This Field Trip's main purpose is to give the new students of Hope's Peak a fun and relaxing experience, away from the stress of families, classes, homework and enemy Stands, while also keeping them safe from threats from the dangerous outside world with our top notch security!', said Monobear in an almost robotic tone, as if he were reading this from a pamphlet and he had rehearsed the whole thing a million times.

'You guys have nothing to worry about. The installations in our beautiful Camp Despair are top notch! Here, you'll interact with nature but without having to struggle with it! You'll basically be fed, have your own cottage for you with all the needs for a comfortable stay and our delightful Monobear staff will take care of you!', said Monobear, a giggle escaping his snout.

From the corner of my eyes I could see Aster making a disgusted expression. I guess the Ultimate Survivalist didn't like the fact that they were going to be comfortable among nature. As for me? I may be a rough Viking but a private cottage with running water and electricity was too hard to pass up.

Still... all of this was sounding so good... I had to remind me that this was the bear that almost killed Toothless. There had to be a catch.

'So yeah! That's basically our goal at Camp Despair! To give you guys a nice time, away from the outside world... forget all the worries on your life for the duration of this Field Trip... Ah! That's right! How long will this Field Trip last, you may ask?'

Monobear paused, and a sense of dread filled me. I really hoped my gut feeling was wrong... but that hope was destroyed when the Headmaster spoke.

'Well... this Field Trip's duration is set to... a no-time-lim rule! A life time of fun and peace! In other words... you are not to leave this fun camp of fun ever, never ever! Isn't that great? Ahahaha!'

Oh...

Wait, WHAT?

Of course, the group exploded with outrage.

'You can't be serious...' mouthed Tooth, disbelief coating her words.

'Staying here... forever might be... quite bothersome', said Peter, trying to keep an even voice despite the look of worry in his face.

'Yeah! What's the big idea?!', shouted Flynn, 'Are you kidnapping us?!'

'How rude! I have no idea what you're talking about... I'm just trying to give you guys some fun times and you just gell at me...' said Monobear crestfallen.

'W-well.. we can't just stay here! What about school? We haven't even started...' said Rapunzel.

'What about our families? Our friends?' said Anna, her hand gripping Elsa's visibly.

'Juuuust forget about those! Leave all that stress behind and adapt to your new home! You'll find this communal life style... beary fetching! Ahahaha!', said Monobear, waving off all the worries of everyone.

I didn't voice mine, but of course I was worried. Sure, there wasn't much for me back at Berk but I was one of the only people who could deal with the dragons and... I still loved my Dad, self-esteem issues notwithstanding.

Staying here forever, no matter how comfortable, was not something I wanted.

For some reason, I thought of Jack. I glanced at him and my worries were confirmed. The guy's face was stiff, his eyes wide and staring at nothing. Of course Jack was taking this very harshly. He had no memories of his life outside of this whole situation and now the Headmaster was telling them he couldn't leave this place, denying him the chance of learning more about himself. I didn't like the anguish on his face and I tried to comfort him like he did all those times but my hand wouldn't move.

Why did I have to be so awkward at times like this? Gods...

'Buuuut...', Monobear's voice snapped me out of my self-depreciative tirade, 'if you guys really, REALLY, want to leave... there is one way...'

At this, everyone fixed their gaze on Monobear, Jack even snapping at him 'What way?!' at the stuffed menace with a sense of urgency in his voice.

At this, Monobear's red eye lighted up maliciously. 'It's very simple, really... the only way for a student to leave this place is by killing another student!', said the Headmaster, his tone of voice cheery and completely at odds with what he was saying.

...Huh?

'Yo-you... can't be serious...', I said, refusing to believe what he was saying. But the look on Monobear's face and what he had done to Toothless told me all what I needed to know. He was serious about this.

'Oy... this ain't funny mate...', said Aster, his eyes wide. He was fidgeting in place.

'Y-yeah... cut it out man... you can't joke about this type of stuff...', said Flynn, looking around nervously.

Monobear tilted his head in confusion, again. 'Buh-wha? Who says I'm joking? I'm very serious about it!'

'Stop fucking around!', shouted Snotlout, panick setting on his voice, 'You kidnap us and then you tell us we can't leave unless we kill each other? That's messed up!'

'He's r-right', said Ruffnut, 'Th-this has got to be a joke, right? After all, there's no way you're gonna force us to do this... right?'

'Yeah... destroying things is one thing... but us? Destroying people? Not possible.', supplemented Tuffnut.

'And why is it not possible?', asked Monobear, 'You guys kill each other ALL the time for the most petty things. Really, you guys need to drop those cultural preconceptions and face reality. And its not like I'm forcing your hand! I'm giving you a choice!'

Monobear jumped down from the speech booth and walked towards as he talked. 'Either you guys learn to cut your ties from the outside world and live here in peace for the rest of your lives, or you kill someone here to return to the outside world! Simple!'

No... this was not simple at all.

'As for killing... I really don't mind how you guys do it! Stabbingshootingstranglingpoisoningdrowningexplodingburningelectrocuting... whatever method you guys pick is fine by me! Peaceful days and brutal murders! That's the gist of this heart-throbbing Field Trip of Mutual Killing! Puhuhuhu! Aren't you excited?'

How can YOU be excited about this?! What is wrong with you?! 'How can you... even be excited!? You're basically urging us to murder! What kind of Headmaster are you?!' I shouted at Monobear.

'I'm the best Headmaster in the world, thank you beary much!', said Monobear with a grin on his face. 'Yknow... Hiccy... you shouldn't be saying things like that... people like you are the first to go in these kinds of stories!'

I felt faint, the realization that this bear was being serious hitting me fully. I feel a strong hand on my shoulder, gripping me strongly, and when I look to see who was grabbing me, I gasp at Jack's face, which is full of anger as he stares daggers at the Headmaster.

'Puhuhuh! Looks like you're making allies already! Guess you're going to survive enough to reunite with your stupid lizard!'

At this, I feel a surge of anger. 'Where is he? Where is Toothless?! What did you do hi-?'

My angry outburst is interrupted by pain. I feel a searing pain in my chin. I touch it, feeling a warm liquid on my fingers, the unmistakable smell of blood reaching my nose. I look at Monobear, who's shaking his black paw in order to get the blood out of his claws. He turns to me, a malicious tone in his voice.

'Man, you need to learn when to shut up. I said I was gonna cure him, alright? I play by the rules and promises I make. I was known by my honest streak back at the zoo! So, shut up already about your stupid lizard. It's getting old'.

'Like I said, I hate repeating myself. Don't defy me, disrespect me or insult me. You are to obey me. Understood? I don't want to make an example of you guys... don't wanna see me go bearserk.'

As I put a hand on the cut Monobear had given me to stop the trickle of blood, I hear a small, female voice. I'm surprised to see it's Elsa, her cold tone reduced to a shrill whisper.

'Why... why are you doing all of this...? What do you have to gain... from imprisoning us... and urging us to kill each other?'

At this Monobear, walks away from us, back to the speech booth. 'My motivation, you ask? You guys are so predictable.' He jumps onto the speech booth, before smiling a wicked, deranged grin, one that should be impossible for a toy to show. 'I guess... you could say my motivation is... your despair.'

A dead silence creeps on all of us as we try to make sense of the Headmaster's words.

'The 16 Ultimates... the ones who represent the Hope of the world, the very best there is... the ones who carry the bright future of the world in their shoulders... can you imagine how awful it will be when these supposed beacons of hope start to kill each other? I bet the harrowing despair that will result from that will be beautiful... Puhuhu!'

We just stood there, dumbfounded at the words coming out of the Headmaster, trying to make sense of his discourse. But there was no making sense out of the pure madness that were the Headmaster's words.

I was expecting ransom for our kidnapping, money being his motivation, but this? Doing this simply because he wanted to see us despair...? I couldn't make anything out of it. I couldn't even voice my confusion.

No one could.

No one was protesting. Nor questioning Monobear anymore. Was it because we had realized we were dealing with a madman, someone who relished torturing kids with a mechanical toy bear? The silence stretched for a long time, before Monobear spoke up again.

'Well, I'm getting bored, so let's finish this announcement already', he said as he pulled out a box from behind him. 'In here I have something very important for your everyday lives!', In his paw I can see a bunch of blue-card like devices, 'Introducing... the ElectroID!'

'The ElectroID is a very important device! This nifty little thing has info on you and is absolutely vital if you wanna enjoy a peaceful life here! This thing is your key to your cottage! If you lose it, you won't be able to get inside, so take care of it! It also has a map of the Camp! I couldn't bear it if you got lost...'

'Finally, but not least important, the ElectroID has the rules for this Field Trip of Mutual Killing! I recommend you read them as soon as you can! Breaking the rules will result in punishment, and ignorance of the rules is no excuse! Take this to heart, you bastards. I don't have compassion, sympathy or pity. That's because I'm a bear.'

As he said all of that, he walked around us handing us our ElectroIDs, before heading back to the speech booth.

'Now then... Let's start this Field Trip of Mutual Killing and make it as memorable as we can! Ahahahahahahaa!'

And with that ugly laugh, he disappeared.

Everyone looked around, nervously staring at each other, trying to lighten the mood or do anything to break the grim atmosphere. But not even Jack, the most fun person I knew, was trying to cheer us up, his face tight with worry and the grip on his ElectroID and my shoulder firm. I was probably going to get a bruise from that but I felt somewhat safer with his hand there.

Finally, Rapunzel spoke up, an awkward smile on her face, 'Hey... cheer up guys... there's no way he's... being serious, right?'

'The problem is not... whether he was being truthful or not...' said Peter, his lips pressed tightly while he spoke, 'The problem is... who actually believes the Headmaster enough... to do what he has asked us to do.'

And at that, I realized the worst thing about this situation. The worst thing wasn't being trapped, away from everyone. The worst thing was the feeling of distrust that was growing between us.

Because really, in the end, we were all strangers. Strangers we couldn't, cannot, trust with our lives. Because any of us could kill any of us, simply out of fear of being killed, without any remorse.

All previous laughs and feelings of comradeship that we had shared were torn apart by Monobear's decree, leaving behind an empty feeling of distrust, of cold glares, of emotionless masks and gazes.

And it was in this hurricane of distrust that our school year started. It didn't start with a day of classes, friends and Hope. It started with fear, enemies, a field trip and Despair.

**PROLOGUE - FIELD TRIP OF DESPAIR**

**-END-**

**STUDENTS STILL ALIVE: 16**

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**Alright then! Now we're entering the meat of this despair-ridden story, but before we move on, I am going to ask for your help in a little experiment.**

**Those familiar with the Danganronpa series will know that you can interact with the characters in the stories to get to know them better in a period known as "Free Time". I want to implement that here as well, but I also want to extend the experience towards you. So, I'm going to ask you guys which character you want Hiccup to interact with! Here's how its going to go down.**

**Basically, you guys will send me a PM with your top three characters you want to get to know more. The characters with most votes will be featured in the story. **

**You can post votes in the reviews even if you have an account but ONLY if you do so while writing me an actual review. I will not count posts that are only votes. I want reviews, not fluff.**

**Also, you can't vote for Jack. Jack is already going to be the one who interacts with Hiccup the most and this story is Hijack so.  
**

**That's all there's to it! Just vote, vote vote! **

**And for those worried, this won't affect the story that much. The direction of the story is already decided, this will only affect which characters you guys get to meet.**

**So, I guess I'll see you around on Thursday or so... Monodoof out!**


	6. 1 - Chapter 1 - Normal Lives A

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair**

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**Sorry for the delay, guys! Family matters got in the way, but here's the next chapter! We are leaving the Prologue behind and we will finally start the TRUE Chapter 1. Let's get excited!**

**Just so you guys know, this story will consist of 6 Chapters (Think of them as story arcs), but the number of chapters will be far more than 6 (I mean, the Prologue took 5 Fanfic Chapters and over 10K words oops)**

**So, sit back. Relax. And enjoy?**

**Also, I'm sorry, but there's no Free Time events on this chapter. I feared it was getting too long so they will be saved for the next chapter. Still, keep voting!**

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_**Hiccup's POV**_

A low hum fills the air as I turn on my ElectroID, which flashes up with a blue light. Hope's Peak Academy's logo flashes briefly in the screen before it fades, a picture of my face and text that reads 'ElectroID belonging to Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III' replacing it, along with data of me... info on me so detailed I wondered how Monobear got it... seriously...? Weight and height are OK, but bust size? Why would anyone want to know that?

I put my finger on the screen of the ElectroID, which reacts at the touch and replaces my profile on the screen with a Main Menu, or so it says on the top of the screen. I touch the 'Rules' option and they're displayed instantly.

**RULES FOR THE FIELD TRIP OF MUTUAL KILLING**

**-You are not allowed to harm the Headmaster. The Headmaster won't hurt you unless you do so first.**

**-You are not allowed to destroy the surveillance cameras.**

**-You can explore and wander around the allowed areas marked on your map as much as you want. Trying to break into non-permitted areas will earn you a punishment.**

**-You can only sleep in the cottages. Sleeping anywhere else is prohibited.**

**-During your stay here, the days will be divided into two periods: Day Time and Night Time. Night Time starts at 10 PM and ends at 7 AM. During Night Time, some parts of the Camp will become inaccessible, so please keep this in mind.**

**-A student can only leave when he kills another student.**

**-More rules will be added at the Headmaster's discretion. Please, let's give it our best every day!**

With a sigh, I dropped the ElectroID on my chest as I lay on my own bed. Typical of Monobear to shoehorn a cheery spin on a dreadful thing. But if there was one thing about him that I had learned so far, it was that he wasn't a liar.

After he gave us our ElectroIDs, we all dispersed to our cottages. They were in the Lodging Area, north of the clearing where Monobear had given us his despair-inducing speech. There, we found our assigned cottages and using our ElectroIDs like Monobear told us to, we entered them, not saying a word to each other.

The cottages weren't so bad, even though they had a wooden exterior. Or at least I thought so. There was a simple desk and a chair with a lamp on the right corner, and a bed sitting opposite of it. A window with blinds on the back wall was the only source of natural lighting, but as Monobear had said, there was a functioning light bulb in case I ever needed light during the night. The cottage even possessed a bathroom with a shower installed. To top it all of, there even was an A/C unit in the room. It would have been perfect if there wasn't a camera and a monitor here... but at least Monobear had the decency of not putting a camera on the bathroom. Despite all of this, I couldn't ignore my situation.

I had been laying on my bed for hours. To say that I wasn't upset would've been a lie. This situation and Toothless' current state... just was too much, you know? I screamed in frustration and anger and fear, using a pillow to muffle my screams, until my throat started hurting. So much for Ultimate Luck being my talent... I had landed myself in the worst of situations and there was no way out of this.

Well, there was a way, but I... I would never kill. Warriors in Berk are supposed to do so when fighting others but I... I just can't. I've never wanted to hurt anyone, much less kill. I... just... am too weak. If any of the others ever decided to kill, I bet I would be the first one to go.

A buzz coming from the previously turned off monitor broke my train of thought. An image of Monobear sitting on a throne while he drank a glass of lemonade appeared on it. He was inside a room I didn't recognize. 'Um... its now Night Time! Please have pleasant dreams... and don't let the murderers get you! Puhuhuhu!', and with that announcement the monitor turned off.

'Gee, thanks for that', I said to no one in particular. I was bitter and tired, but I just couldn't fall asleep. I was worried about... well, everything! What was I going to do? Lock myself here? I doubted I would last without food... since there was none in this cottage to begin with. Plus, I would surely go mad of boredom. Should I risk it and just go out tomorrow?

To think that this was my reality now... that my old, boring days of my ordinary life were gone... would I even be able to adapt? Or would I be someone's ticket out of this place?

For some reason, Jack's face flashed in my mind at that thought. Gods, what an odd thought to have...

'I guess... he escaping because of me... would be alright with me...', I muttered without thinking.

After thinking and thinking and more thinking about it but not getting anything out of all that, I fell asleep.

_**Jack's POV.**_

A buzz interrupts my troubled sleep, and I immediately groan at the familiar sound. Sure enough, from the monitor inside my cottage, Monobear's voice rings out 'Goooood morning everyone! It is now 7 AM! Let us give it our all on this beauuuutiful day!'.

I don't even bother looking at the monitor, not particularly eager to see the face of our captor. I was sure I would've broken something if I had seen his mug.

This whole situation was... to put it lightly, pretty shitty.

Losing my memories was one thing, but being held against my will here and being urged to kill to leave? I don't know what Monobear's definition of fun was, but it was vastly different from my own.

Sighing, I picked up my ElectroID once more, hoping for answers about myself. Once again, I was greeted by a picture of my own face, my name, age... and nothing else. Even my talent was blank, simply displaying 'Ultimate ?'. I bet the Headmaster was getting a laugh out of this.

'...What am I going to do...?', I spoke to no one, as if I were expecting answers. When none came, as expected, I moved to a sitting position and rested on the edge of my bed.

I didn't want to stay here forever, at all. But killing? No way I was ever gonna do that. Even if I was a murderer when I had my memories, the current me wasn't comfortable with that. So... what should I do? Just live here forever, never knowing the truth about myself...?

Inadvertently, my thoughts turned to Hiccup.

I was unsure before, but now... I can almost definitely say I've met him before. No memories have returned to me yet, but I just... feel more comfortable around him. Like I can be myself without being judged. I'm sure that he... is very important to the mystery that is me. That he is important to me. I must stay close to him.

Protect him, even. I don't... want to lose him.

But why don't I want to lose him? Sure, he's my only lead and yet... something else motivates my resolve of protecting him... I guess it's just because he's a cool kid? Sarcasm and awkwardness notwithstanding, he feels like a real friend. Is he an old friend of mine, perhaps? But why doesn't he recognize me, then...?

'Aaagh! This sucks!', I groan, exasperated at the questions that just keep piling up, and I let myself fall back into my bed as I rub my hair in frustration.

So, that's all there is to it, huh...? Stay close to Hic and survive? Guess that's the only thing I can manage to do for now...

A loud knock on my door snaps me out of my thoughts, along with a 'Jack, are you up and awake?'. I would recognize that voice anywhere. Jumping off from my bed, barefooted as I liked it, I opened the door to see North's beaming face, who still was rocking a red Christmas sweater, brown dress pants and shoes. North had a round face and long, brown hair tied on a ponytail, a visible stubble on his chin. He was also very large... I wouldn't be surprised if he actually wrestled bears as a side hobby. However, despite all this, North was a very affectionate man, though he spoke strongly and without stuttering. And he enjoyed my jokes, always giving a hearty laugh. I felt I could trust this guy as a leader.

...Of course, with everything that happened yesterday... should I really trust this guy? I l liked him but...

'Hello? Earth to Jack? Are you there?', he said playfully, knocking on my head as if it were empty. I buckled a little under his big hand but I laughed in response. Ah, what the heck! I'll take my chances!

'Jackson Overland, reporting for duty!' I said, doing a mock saluting gesture before reclining on the doorframe, 'So, what's up Nick? Anything you need?'

North rolled his eyes at my new nickname (What? It was brilliant!), but he smiled once again, 'Ah, yes! I do have big favor to ask! Or rather... invitation for you!', he paused before asking me, 'I assume you're hungry right now, no? How about joining me and the others for big breakfast!'

Well, I am pretty hungry right now... but eating with the others? So soon, after Monobear's announcement? Would that be wise?

A large pat on my back brought me back to the present, along with Nick's booming laugh. 'C'mon Jack! It'll be fine and fun! And safe! I doubt people will try anything on a place so crowded! So please?'

Nick's nonchalant optimism aside, his logic made sense and my stomach was growling...

'Alright, alright! You don't have to beg! The fabulous Jack will attend your breakfast!', I said, bowing with a smile.

'Most excellent!', shouted Nick happily, hugging me almost to the after life, 'Well, got to go! Still need to wake some more people!'

After making sure I was still alive by catching my breath, my mind wandered to Hiccup. An idea sprung into my mind.

'Hey, Nick! Mind if I help ya with that? I'll wake my neighbor so you don't have to!', I suggested, pointing to the cottage to the right of mine.

Nick nodded with appreciation, before leaving.

Crap, I had forgotten to ask where we were going to meet. Ah well, if I needed any info, I could always consult my ElectroID. That's how I learned that my neighbor was a certain freckled fishbone. What are the odds, right?

Still barefooted, I headed towards the little Viking's cottage with a smile on my face. Kinda funny how my plan of staying close to Hiccup overlapped with Nick's plan, but I couldn't complain.

I knocked on Hiccup's door perhaps a little bit too strongly, excited to see him.

_**Hiccup's POV**_

Monobear's announcement had awakened me, and a few tears formed in my eyes when I remembered it was Toothless who used to wake me up for a morning flight. But I wouldn't cry anymore. I wouldn't want to give Monobear the satisfaction of crying anymore. I had to prove I was a strong Viking worth my salt.

A loud knock on my door made me let out a scream that no Viking worth it's salt would ever let out.

W-who was it? W-was this it? W-was I going to die right now? I didn't even last two days and-

'Heeeeey! Hic? You awake?'

I rolled my eye and let out a sigh. It was only Jack. And his let's-give-stupid-nicknames-to-people-for-no-reason tendencies.

Putting on my sneakers and stretching, I walked towards my door, where the white-haired idiot was composing a melody of knocks and bangs. As I opened the door, I was taken by surprise when Jack's tall and gangly frame fell on me, almost dragging me to the floor.

'Hic, you took soooo long, I'm feeling faint from hunger already', he whined as he clung to me.

'Get off me, you doofus! You're heavy...!' I said, trying my best to remove this ridiculous teenager off from me, but he only clung on harder the more I tried to get him off me.

'Maaan, I'm so hungry I can't keep fighting against gravity... its increasing with each passing moment!', Jack lamented as he pulled me to the ground even more.

'Jack...! T-that doesn't even make any sense...!', OK, this was bad... I couldn't keep holding him up..!

'No, it's totally true! This happened to me once!'

'Jack, I swear to Thor I'm gon-'. Yep, this is as far as my strength go. Hello Mr. Floor, nice to meet you again. Have you met the cackling idiot on top of me? His name is Jack.

The laughing whitette climbed off from me and flicked away a tear incurred from all the laughing he was doing. 'Oh, man, Hic! Your face was priceless!' he said as he offered me a hand in order for me to stand up.

I took his hand with a bit of disdain and he pulled me up without trying too hard. Not that it was an amazing feat or anything, since I'm... a fishbone... but anyways! I glared at him, not really appreciating his sense of humor so early in the morning... OK he made me loosen up a bit but still...!

'What do you want, Jack?', I deadpanned.

'Geez, no need to be so cold!', he said as he put up his hands, 'I just thought that the Mighty Viking was hungry so I decided to take him out for breakfast! Wanna come?'

Oh. Well, I am kinda famished... but first...

'Huh? Mighty Viking?', I said as I looked around my cottage before turning back to him with a sly grin on my face, 'Are you sure you got the right cottage? Perhaps you should try the one next door...' I said as I closed the door on Jack's shocked face.

Jack's frantic knocks came soon, as I had expected. Time to get back at him!

'Hey, Hic! This isn't funny!'

'I beg to differ.'

'C'mon Hic, I'm serious!'

'I find THAT hard to believe.'

'Can you stop with the sass and come out already?!'

'T-the number you've dialed is out of service, please try again later.' I said, stifling a laughter.

'OK, look', I heard Jack sigh exasperatedly, 'I'm sorry I-'

'Nearly crushed me with your giant butt? Can't believe that's how the first murder would go down. Viking gets crushed to death by teenager's butt!'

'Hiccup! I'm trying to apologize here! Please, forgive me?'

OK, I had my fun. With that, I opened my door, a grin on my face. A grin that disappeared when I saw Jack's stern face. Perhaps I overdid it a bit?

'So... uh... how about that breakfast...?' I started, shuffling nervously in place before Jack's firm hand on my shoulder grabbed my attention.

'Uh... Jack?', I prodded as he stared at me with those blue eyes of his, unmoving.

'Hiccup, don't ever joke about that', and I was startled to hear such a serious tone leaving Jack's mouth. He really was bothered about this. He continued as he stared at me, 'I'll never murder anyone... much less you. Nor I'll let anyone harm you, OK? You're my friend after all.'

I nodded. The time for teasing was over, it seemed. Still... being called a friend by someone else... really made me happy. My first human friend... I fought the smile creeping on my face, without much success.

Jack let me go, smiling, before taking out his ElectroID. 'Right, breakfast! It should be around here somewhere...' he said as he fiddled with the device before shouting excitedly, 'Aha! Here it is!' He pushed his ID at me, the map of the camp highlighting a building with a fork and knife symbol on it.

'Huh... so, we have to go to the Rec Area...' I said, taking out my own ElectroID and looking at the map.

Jack nodded, 'Yep! It's to the east of this area, so c'mon! Let's go!', and with that he leapt forward, eager to go.

I shook my head while chuckling. Jack was indeed something else. I pocketed my ElectroID and followed Jack as we walked towards the Rec Area. Yesterday's events made me oblivious to the Lodging Area where we were staying but now that I was calm, I started to take it in.

It wasn't that special, honestly. It was just another circular clearing with trees surrounding us, with the cottages arranged in a circle. There was something noteworthy, though, and that was the fountain installed in the center of the area. As we passed it, I could see a sign that read 'Fountain of Hope'.

I rolled my eyes mentally. Was this more Monobear-brand irony?

Aside from that, there wasn't much to note. A post sign with boards that read 'Rec Area' (This one pointed west) and Meeting Spot (This one pointed south) stood near the fountain... and aside from that there's nothing else of note but the occasional camera mounted on some cottages and of course the monitors.

Well, aside from the view of the needle-like tower. From this place, it looks closer and truly enormous, the top of it still obscured by a thicket of clouds. Just... what is that place?

As we enter the Rec Area, I force my eyes off the tower (which is apparently visible from everywhere on the camp) in order to see this new location.

...OK, this place definitely didn't belong with the whole Camp and Nature aesthetic.

I mean, a supermarket and a fast food joint definitely don't belong on a camp... a-and is that a hospital and a laundromat!? Gods, the only thing that belongs in this place is the cottage with the 'Lounge' sign, but still!

'Looks like Monobear went all out...', says Jack next to me, obviously awestruck at the unusual sights.

'Someone please get the Headmaster an exterior decoration expert...' I say as I see the neon lighted sign of the fast food joint, which reads 'McMonobears'. 'And a lawyer, because I'm sure that's copyright infringement', I finish.

Jack laughs at my comment before he tugs my arm as he walks towards the restaurant. I guess this is the place, huh?

After horsing around a little more, we enter the establishment, Jack not shutting up about he totally beat me at a race I wasn't even trying to win. I was going to shoot him a sarcastic remark before I froze at the sight of the people inside.

All the 16 Ultimates, reunited. And tense. Or was it just me? Because I definitely am pretty tense.

'Ah! Jack, Hiccup! Nice to see you made it!', says North as he stands up to greet us.

Eager to look at anything but the students looking at us, I take in my surroundings. The restaurant looks pretty much like a regular McDonald's but with,,, a 70s twist to it and of course, some Monobear motifs sprinkled here and there. There's even a Monobear Jukebox near the tables but I'm not eager to learn about the Headmaster's musical taste.

North's voice pulls my attention as he shouts, 'Well! Now that everyone is here, let's order up and start with the eating!'

Slowly, everyone gets up from their tables and walk away towards the register where a Monobear in uniform sits, ready to take our orders. Strangely, this Monobear doesn't talk or taunt us, it just stays there taking our orders. It is at that moment that I realize something important.

'Uh, Jack... I don't have any money on me...', I say as I turn to look at him nervously.

'Ya don't hav'ta worry about that, Hiccup!', says a familiar voice behind us. Merida, Sandy and Astrid are there, an uneasy smile on their faces. I guess they're still trying to be friendly to us despite the circumstances...

'What do you mean, Mer?', Jack asks, giving another hapless victim an unwanted nickname.

Merida glares at Jack, seemingly resisting the urge to punch Jack because of the nickname, but instead answers the question, 'According to Monobear, the food here is free... well, everything here is...'

At that, I stand shocked. 'Monobear was here?'

At my question, Sandy shows us a very detailed sketch of Monobear standing on table, surrounded by 14 students, us missing.

'Yeah, he appeared before all of us and told us everything here is up for grabs if we needed it... which is surprisingly nice...' says Astrid, supplementing Sandy's sketch.

I had to agree. So far, nothing dangerous or unfair (aside from the whole kidnapping-and-not-leaving-until-we-kill-each-other deal) had happened. Instead, Monobear had been fairly accommodating...

'I guess he really meant it when he said we were going to live a life without stress here...' I mumble.

Of course, if he really meant everything he said, he really expects us to kill each other.

I don't voice that observation as we reach the front of the register and order our food. As we return to the tables I notice a lot of them have been arranged in order to form a long rectangle. North sees me looking at the table and he grins before shouting, 'Is for all of us to eat together!'

I nod in understanding as I walk to the farthest seat of everyone, trying to stay away from Elsa and Snotlout, who are the only people who seem to hate my guts. Next to Elsa, Anna waves at me and flashes a smile, but before I can return it, the aftermentioned Ice Queen grabs her hand pushes it down, and turns to glare at me.

Yeah, definitely still hates me.

Thankfully, Jack, Astrid, Sandy and Merida sit around me. At least these people like me. As we wait for our food, we make idle chatter, and as we try to keep Jack and Merida from trying to race each other, North suddenly stands up and claps his hand, calling attention to himself. Tooth stands next to him, a nervous smile on her face.

'Attention everyone! I'd like to commence the first meeting to discuss our situation!', he shouts and pauses as he waits for our reaction.

Aster is the first one to speak up. 'Alrigh', I'll bite. What's this about, North?' he queries as he crosses his arms.

'Ugh, we have to discuss things AGAIN?' groans Tuff.

'While we're still alive?' Ruff says.

North clears his throat in order to shut the twins up, 'Yes, well... is true we already talked among ourselves about our situation, but...! That was before and this is now!'

'What North is trying to say' interjects Tooth, 'is that now that we have more information, we should discuss our course of action.'

'What do you mean...?', says Elsa, looking at both North and Tooth warily.

'Well, I gathered us here to make a promise, so to speak! I want you all to promise us to fight against Monobear with all we got!', he says, smiling expectantly at us.

Of course, all of us are... a little taken aback...

'I'm sorry, what? Are you feeling alright, St. Nick?' asks Flynn, worried.

'Yeah, um... Fighting against the Headmaster is against the rules and if the Ultimate Warrior couldn't even touch him... I-I don't think we stand a chance...' says Fishlegs, wringing his hands nervously.

'Ah, true! But I didn't mean fighting in literal sense!', says North, undeterred.

'Oh? Then what do you have in mind?' says Peter as he looks at the jolly man, interested.

Tooth speaks up this time. 'What North means is... we should fight against Monobear's wishes. We need to resist his taunts and... not kill each other as he wants us to.'

North nods, 'Yes! If we want to defeat the accursed beast, we need to show him we won't succumb to despair! We must stand tall and live in peace as friends, here!'

This... all sounds good and all... I mean... I don't want to kill anyone so I can go with his plan but...

'So, you're telling us to just give up and live here forever? Fuck that shit!', says Snotlout, voicing the doubts of a lot of us.

'Now, hold your horses, Snotlout! I never said we were going to give up!', says North with a sly grin as he holds up his ElectroID. 'Read this rule here... rule number 3.'

I take out my ElectroID as everyone else does, and read:

**-You can explore and wander around the allowed areas marked on your map as much as you want. Trying to break into non-permitted areas will earn you a punishment.**

As I read, the gears in my mind start turning and working into overdrive, a smile spreading across my face as I grasp what North means.

'Oh... so that's what you meant...', I say to North. The jolly man nods and smiles, happy that someone understands his plan.

Of course, not everyone does, and the loudest one expresses his confusion very eloquently, 'Hey! Fishbone! The fuck do you mean?'. Yup, Snotlout is... very eloquent.

Moving my bangs out of my face in exasperation, I gather my thoughts before explaining, doing my best to keep it simple for the oaf. 'Well, basically... this rule says we can explore everywhere we want inside the camp but we can't access any of the cut-off areas IN the camp... but... it doesn't forbid us to explore OUTSIDE the camp... basically... we can explore this camp in order to find a way out and since we aren't forbidden to explore the outside... if we find an escape route, we can leave!' I say, trying to contain my excitement.

North laughs loudly before shouting, 'Correct! That's what I'm talking about!'

'But will it work?' says Elsa, doubtful.

'Lighten up, sis! It's better than the alternative...' says Anna as she trails off.

'Yeah... I... don't want to kill anyone...', says Rapunzel, twisting a loose strand of her long hair into a knot.

'So, it's decided! We will coexist in peace, and search for a way out! None of this mutual killing mumbo jumbo. Agreed?' says North, excited that we understand and accept his plan.

'We will show that Monobear why they call us the Ultimates!', says Tooth excitedly, raising her fist to the air.

In our excitement, everyone pumps their fists into the air and shouts in agreement. Well, almost everyone but the most reserved ones, but I can see in their faces the approval of North's plan. Even I got pulled into the excitement, thanks to Jack who pulled my arm into the air along with his.

'Your food is ready'.

We all tense as we hear a familiar voice.

The Monobear that was at the register is standing near the table, with a tray on his hands, along with other Monobears who hold similar trays. We stare at them in tense silence as they march around us and deliver our food. Without even looking at us or saying anything to us, they leave.

Letting out a shaky breath I was holding, I mutter a sarcastic 'W-well... I'm not giving them a good review in costumer service, that's for sure...' which dispels the tense atmosphere a little.

We all dig into our breakfast and soon enough the chatter picks up and we enjoy a nice meal, the feeling of comradeship we had before all this mutual killing nonsense started. This... sense of unity.. is actually making me hopeful! Maybe we'll be able to escape soon! I'll just have to give it my all in our exploration, even if I'm not much help!

As we watch Astrid and Merida engage in a serious eating contest, Jack demanding that I duel him in an eating contest as well to which I obviously decline, I finish the rest of my Monobear-shaped hot cakes (how self-centered can you get?) before standing up, eager to start the search.

Jack, Sandy and the girls look at me in surprise as I wave them goodbye and I head to the door. Before I can leave, however, someone grabs me by my wrist. I turn around to see Jack grabbing me with a worried expression. OK... what's his deal?

'Where are you going, Hic?', the whitette asks, worried.

I roll my eyes at the nickname, 'Uh? I'm going to explore! The sooner the better, right?' I ask.

'But... alone? Wouldn't it be better if we go in groups?'says Jack, refusing to let go of my hand.

I shake my head as I subtly tug at my hand to free myself, 'Nah, we can cover more land if we are all separate.'

'Then how about we split in pairs?', says Astrid as she and Merida and Sandy catch up to us.

'What for?', I ask. We're wasting daylight here...

'For security, you numbskull! And I thought you were the brains of the group here', says Merida as she rolls her eyes.

'I don't understand what you-', I say but I'm interrupted by Sandy, who shows me a badly drawn sketch of Snotlout with a worried expression.

'Sandy's right, Hiccup.' says Astrid with a firm but concerned stare, her blue eyes showing her true emotions, 'We all promised we wouldn't kill each other but I don't trust Snotlout. That's why I think we should at least travel in pairs.'

True, I wouldn't trust Snotlout with anything... and it's true he hates me and there's also Elsa and Peter, who are kinda...

'OK fine.', I concede. It's not like I'm afraid or anything! Just... 'safety in numbers', OK?.

'So... how should we divide-', before I can ask, Jack pulls me towards himself and puts his arm over my shoulder. 'I pick Hic! Don't worry, he'll be safe with me!', he says as he pounds his chest with his other hand, proudly.

'Frankly, I'm more worried about Hiccup more than evah...' says Merida with a snicker.

Jack pouts before shouting, 'HEY! What's that supposed to mean?'

'It means now I'll have to take care of you and me', I deadpan as I head towards the doors, 'Now come on, you big baby boo.'

'Hic, you wound me so! You'll see, I'll be the best guardian ever!', says Jack as he follows me outside, the laughing of the girls floating over to us.

'Huh... I wonder if I should just give myself up to Snotlout instead...', I say as I tap my chin in mocking thought, feeling the scab of Monobear's attack from yesterday still there.

'You're just full of sarcasm aren't you, you pipsqueak?', says Jack as he pushes me away playfully.

'Took you long enough to notice', I say, barely containing the laughter inside me.

'One day, you won't have a witty comeback for everything, you fishbone! One day!', says Jack, shaking his fist in the air, dramatically.

'That will truly be a day to remember, you frosted twig', I say as I duck under a swing of Jack's arm, laughing.

'You're so gonna get it, Hic!', and with that comment, we race away from the restaurant.

Truly, despite how much grief I give him, I like that Jack is accompanying me. It makes this endeavor more... believable. Having a friend around makes me feel like we have chance, that there's hope for us. And it is with that renewed sense of hope that we start our search.

* * *

**-MONOBEAR THEATER-**

* * *

"Hello, everyone! Welcome to Monobear Theater! I'm your drop-dead-gorgeous host, Monobear!"

'Aaaaaand so, we start with this tale! Are you guys excited? Our heroes are looking full of hope, aren't they? But don't forget, Hope and Despair are two sides of the same coin! And while its true that Hope shines the brightest when Despair is all there is in your life... Despair can grow quickly even on the most hopeful of situations.

Puhuhuh... soon, those bastards will learn... Uhuhuhuhuh!

* * *

**Aaand, scene.  
**

**I feel like we're moving along at a snail pace, but what do you guys think? I felt like I needed some Hijack fluff here and there but I may have gotten a bit carried away.**

**See ya next time!**


	7. 1 - Chapter 1 - Normal Lives B

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - Normal Days B**

* * *

**Phew, so, that took a while! Sorry for the delay, I had some business to take care of but I will hopefully get back on track soon! Not entirely pleased with this chapter but that kinda comes with the whole "Not confident on my writing" territory. I should probably get a beta or something but idkkkk  
**

**Anyways, enjoy this mess, ahahaha**

* * *

**_Hiccup's POV_  
**

It took like 10 minutes to stop Jack from acting like a complete goofball so that we could focus on actually investigating the Camp and another 10 minutes to force Jack to wear shoes because we were going to be hiking in the wilderness.

Jack's pouting was oddly cute but I wasn't going to be swayed. I didn't want any of my friends getting injuries again.

We first decided to fully explore the Rec Area and everything it had to offer. Or rather, Jack begged and begged until I relented.

'Honestly, Jack! You're older than me! Be more mature!', I said in an annoyed voice.

'Hey! I'm mature! I just like fun! You're just a stick-in-the-mud!', said Jack in retort.

'Har har. Is that another fishbone joke?', I deadpanned.

'I'm just telling it how it is!', said the whitette as we neared the Dirty Deals Done Dirt Cheap Supermarket.

Man, I totally can smell the lawsuits the Headmaster was attracting. Seriously? A reference like that?

Shaking my head in disapproval, we entered the behemoth of a store and we were immediately assaulted by the aisles chock full of items of all shapes and colors. There were even things hanging from the ceiling and items displayed on tables. The supermarket lacked check out lines, confirming what Merida had told me earlier; all of this was really up for grabs.

And there was a variety of stuff! Like seriously... Candies of all flavors and shapes,10 liter soda bottles, books, electronics, cleaning supplies... even furniture! It was all amazing and looking to my side, I could see Jack just itching to go off into the toy aisle.

My euphoria turned into anger, however, I found an aisle full of weaponry. Guns, swords, explosives... there was even a cannon here and some torpedoes! Monobear was at it again. No doubt he put all of this here to urge us to kill.

I suddenly lost all interest in the supermarket. I could see all the excitement draining from Jack's face as he saw the aisle as well. As we turned around to walk away, we heard a loud explosion along with a loud 'WHOOP!'. Turning around to see the source of the noises, we saw the twins hooting and hollering as they carried a large amount of explosives.

'Man, we are so going to destroy so much stuff!', said Tuff.

'Hey, we should bring furniture too!', said Ruff, excited.

'What for? We already have the explosives!', said Tuff, lifting the bag of explosives in his hand in gesture.

'We need test subjects, duh!', said Ruff rolling her eyes.

And without even paying any attention to us (or how their hair had caught fire due to the previous explosion), they ran past us and left the store.

'Y'know, Hic... I'm more worried about them than about Snotlout...', said Jack as he saw the twins running away.

'No kidding'.

After that little display, and after deciding to pick up some drawing tools for me, we left the store, Jack happily carrying a big beach ball he found in the toy aisle.

After dropping my stuff at my cottage and after another 10 minutes of Jack goofing around with his beach ball (and smacking me with the ball like 5 times) before he put it in his cottage, we returned to the Rec Area.

As we approached the hospital, we heard several bangs and booms. Soon after from the Lounge came Snotlout running away from the twins, who were throwing small firecrackers at him and laughing hysterically as they chased him towards the Lodging Area, while Flynn cheered them on from a distance.

I almost felt bad for Snotlout. Almost.

After having a good laugh at the Ultimate Heavy Lifter's expense, we walked towards the hospital. Like almost all the things in this camp, the hospital had a Monobear motif, the logo of the place showing the Headmaster in a doctor's outfit, the words 'Doctor Killgood', flashing with neon lighting.

'What a reassuring sight...', mumbled Jack, obviously not amused.

Before I could comment, I saw a familiar looking girl standing near the entrance, her lab coat and colorful hair a dead giveaway. 'Heeey! Tooth!', I shouted before walking towards her.

She jumped at my greeting but immediately shot us a smile as she recognized us. She practically ran to meet us. We exchanged some greetings while we tried to avoid the Ultimate Dentist's prodding fingers. Jack actually covered his mouth with both of his hands.

'So... Tooth...' I said, trying to distract her, 'What are you doing here?'

My question seemed to snap the labcoat-wearing, pixie-like girl back to her senses, leaving Jack alone, who dropped his hands and sighed in relief.

'Oh! I was just trying to check out the place! Y'know, to see if it's up to standards... in case we... ever need to get treated...', her eager voice and smile vanished as she finished her sentence.

Yeah, I knew what she was thinking. I didn't want to think we'd ever need this place's services, but there were no guarantees in our situation. Tooth was actually pretty smart to think about our health care, though. I guess she really had our best interests in mind.

Jack kicked the floor nonchalantly before speaking, 'Still... don't you need to get inside the place to actually check it out? Why haven't you entered?'

Tooth's face suddenly shifted to a scowl, her voice full of anger. '_HE_ won't let me check it out...'

And before I could ask who 'he' was... _HE_ appeared as in cue.

'YOU AREN'T ALLOWED TO ENTER! THIS PLACE IS OFF-LIMITS! SO HAS SPOKEN DOCTOR KILLGOOD'!

I groaned as Monobear appeared, dressed in a full doctor's attire, right in front of us, blocking the door. Great, just what I needed. Another session of rambling nonsense from the Headmaster.

Jack was obviously not in the mood for messing around either, as he looked at the bear with pure disdain.

Mercifully, Tooth engaged the Headmaster, saving us from having to deal with the little stuffed headache. 'OK, but! You never told me WHY I can't enter!', she said, obviously exasperated, her foot tapping the floor impatiently.

At this, the Headmaster tilted his head in confusion. 'Huhhh? I didn't tell you? Well, now that you mention it, I never really did! Oops!' and he was smiling again, holding back a giggle.

I sighed. I didn't want to deal with the bear's cryptic words right now. It was obvious he wasn't going to tell us anything directly, so speaking with him was a waste of time. We all had places to be.

'Let's go guys. We can't waste our time with a toy who is pretending to be a doctor.' I said to my friends as I started to walk away from the hospital.

'HEY! I'm not playing doctor! I'm a certified medic who can take care of all of you! In fact, I was such a good doctor I didn't even need a veterinarian back at the zoo!', shouted Monobear, obviously annoyed at my comment.

Nope, not gonna happen. Not gonna take the bait. I'm not even bothering with a sarcastic reply.

'Seriously, I can't believe you're being so mean to the doctor who's operating on your best friend. Boo hoo. I'm crying so hard... my tears won't let me see when I operate... what if a malpractice happens because of that...? Uhuhuhuhu!' said Monobear in a dejected tone before finishing with that giggle of his, full of malice.

I snapped at that comment, turning back, ready to at least try to throttle the Headmaster. Jack seriously needed to stop holding me back right now, Thor so help me, because I wanted to kick the stuffed bear who just stands there smugly as he watches me struggle against my friend's hold.

'Tsk, tsk... that's no good, Hiccy!', says Monobear as he wags his finger in mock disapproval, 'You can't be this loud near a hospital! You'll upset the patients!', he starts walking back to the hospital and as he stops near the door, he turns back and he smiles, his red eye glinting dangerously, 'Don't you worry, Hiccy. Your friend will be back soon... as long as you behave. Puhuhu...!' and with that, he vanished into the hospital.

I caught the meaning of Monobear's words easily: Toothless was here. And I couldn't do anything to see him. Because if I disobeyed the Headmaster's orders, he would be in danger. I dropped down to the floor in defeat, Jack trying his best to help me stand. But I didn't want to stand. I just wanted to lie down here, and wait for my friend.

'Tooth, give me a hand here...!', I hear Jack's strained voice behind me, but I don't move my gaze away from the hospital's doors, hoping to see my friend coming out from them.

But of course he doesn't appear. He's probably still in pain... probably not even being able to move due to his injuries... He... he d...id... lose a lot of blood and...!

I stop noticing my surroundings, barely acknowledging the fact that both Tooth and Jack were holding me with my arms over their shoulders as they drag me away from the hospital.

I had to admit. I missed Toothless a lot and I was worried sick about him. No matter how much of a front I put on, I missed my scaly friend so much, and it hurt me to know he was SO close and in pain and knowing that I couldn't do anything for him at all tore my heart apart. I honestly just wanted to shut down and wallow in my misery and my sadness. I didn't want to interact with a world where Toothless was missing. Or worse.

Apparently, I was doing just that, because I was brought back to reality by a very strong slap. As I winced and rubbed my cheek to ease the pain, I noticed my surroundings. I was in the Lounge, a wooden cottage in the Rec Area which mostly contained couches, vending machines, a single bookcase and some tables with board games. A simple place to relax... if it weren't for the cameras installed on the corners.

I also noticed Tooth looking worried, Rapunzel looking guilty and... a pair of bright blue eyes looking at me with concern. Jack.

'I'm sorry! You weren't answering us and I panicked and got worried so I just... you know! Slapped some sense into you...?' said Rapunzel, gesturing wildly and nervously. 'Please forgive me, Hiccup!'

Oh, so that was what happened. Man, I really zoned out there. No wonder Jack and Tooth look so worried.

I smiled at Rapunzel, shaking my head as I talked, 'Nah, it's OK. I kinda needed it. Thank you.'

Rapunzel's smile was very bright as she heard that, and she dashed toward the bookcase, grabbing 5 books from it, before returning to me, 'Well, if you ever need more, tell me! Cheer up, Hiccup!' and with that, she left. Guess she really was only here for the books.

Tooth and Jack, however did not leave. I sighed as I sunk into one of the couches, seeing their worried expressions. This... was one of the reasons I wasn't keen on having friends. Sure, I loved company but I also liked to solve my problems on my own. I didn't want to worry other people. I honestly didn't want them to see me so down on myself. I still was sad about Toothless.

I forced a smile and said to them that I was fine, to which Tooth responded by saying 'Don't worry, Hiccup! Everything will be fine, just believe!', with a genuine smile on her face. I... wish I could believe like she did.

Putting a hand on my shoulder, she hesitated a bit before saying, 'W-well... I need to... continue checking for possible escape routes so... Um... see you around...'

I nodded at her encouragingly, and taking that as her cue, she walked away slowly, looking back at me with worry a few times before exiting the Lounge.

Right. But Jack was still here. I looked at him, and the expression on his face made me realize he hadn't bought my lie. 'Jack, really... I'm fine.' I tried again. But he just shook his head and he silently plopped down next to me.

Was he going to question me? Ask me to open up to him and pour out my feelings? Because I so don't want to do that. M-manly vikings don't talk about their emotional problems and-

But he didn't ask. He just sat next to me, silently. He didn't prod or query me. He simply closed his eyes and waited for me to collect myself. And I appreciated it. The extra silence and his presence combined gave me time to compose my thoughts.

After a very long time of just sitting there, I decided that enough was enough. I couldn't just waste my time here. We all had a mission and I was doing nothing to help. I stood up slowly, Jack doing the same as he smiled at me brightly. ''Ready to go?', he asked eagerly.

'Yeah', I nodded, '...and, um, thank you... for, well, everything', I added, sheepishly.

'Hic, I don't know what you're talking about.' he said, his smile all-too-knowing of what he had done.

I rolled my eyes and I motioned him to follow me and as we left the lounge, I let the feeling of gratefulness in my heart spread through my whole body. This frosty idiot... was far more understanding than what I had assumed.

* * *

Checking out the rest of the Camp was far more time consuming than we thought. We had finished checking out the Rec Area by 1PM, so we decided to hasten our steps as we headed south to check the next area.

A cool breeze greeted us as we emerged from the bushery that was growing all over the abandoned dirt path that led into the shores of Lake Despair. Despite the name, the lake was anything but despair-inducing. The water was clear and clean, you could easily see the bottom of the lake. Jack immediately ran towards the edge of the lake and started splashing around like a kid on the shallow water. Judging from Jack's reaction, the water was cool, not exactly too cold or hot... just right.

It really... looked out of place, this lake, on a place where killings were supposed to happen. The atmosphere on this lake was peaceful... and almost perfect. A fence cutting across the middle of the lake marred the scene a little but the place was still beautiful. I guess we can't swim away from here, though.

After coaxing Jack out of the water and investigating the shoreline in hope of finding a clue to escape, and after resisting the urge to smash the camera installed near the shoreline, we left the area without any results.

The last area left to investigate was north of the Rec Area, and it was quite away from the Lake. The walk there wasn't boring, though, because Jack couldn't stop making stupid jokes. Fine, I did laugh at them, but still!

On our way there, however, one of Jack's whines caught my attention.

'Man, I wish there was a blizzard going here right now... it's so hoooot!' said Jack, tugging at his hoodie while fanning himself with his hand dramatically.

'Well, you were the blockhead who decided to wear winter clothing in summer...', I retorted.

'Don't be mean, Hic! I'm seriously gonna die here! Man, a blizzard like the one my mom told me about would be perfec-'

'Hold on! Did you just say... your mom told you about a blizzard...?'. That's weird, I thought Jack didn't remember anything outside of his name, age, and the fact that he had a little sister.

Jack looked as if he had only realized what he was saying, his mouth slightly agape. He suddenly blushed slightly, and he rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly. Heh... his quirks were becoming noticeable.

'Y-yeah... I... I might have remembered something... recently...'

Now this... was good news! I asked him excitedly about the memory, eager to know more about my friend.

Oddly, he looked away from me and mumbled, 'I... don't really remember much... just that fact...'

Why was Jack acting weird? I thought for sure he would be more excited than this...

'I... remembered that when... we were at the Lounge...' he said, still mumbling.

Huh? Did he? OK... but that's no reason to act weird and secretive. But I decided not to push it. He didn't back when I was feeling all gloomy and I was going to return the favor.

Patting his back, I smiled reassuringly at him. 'Well, I'm glad your memory is returning. Maybe you'll remember everything soon!'

He looked super relieved at the fact that I wasn't poking around for more details about his memory and I can't help but laugh at his expression. Seriously, what's up with him?

With a new spring on his step, we soon reach the Mountainside Road, but our exploration got cut short when a giant door and fence block our way. Near the door is Aster, who is looking around the area waringly, not noticing us. Jack smiles devilishly and shouts a big 'HEY BUNNY!', which makes the Ultimate Survivalist jump.

Aster only glares at Jack as the white haired dork drops to the floor laughing. Deciding that I don't want to be gutted like a fish just by being in association with this idiot (why did Aster have to be so graphic with his survival anecdotes!?), I walked towards the silver-haired boy and apologized to him in Jack's behalf.

'S nothin' to worry 'bout, mate.' he says dismissively, 'So, you explorin'?'

I nod. 'Yeah, but we haven't found anything useful... you?'

'Fraid not, mate. Can't even get past this gate either, and Monobear ain't answerin' me'

Jack walks up to us, his face serious and ElectroID in hand. 'Huh... but that's odd. The map shows there's something behind this gate.'

I rub my chin with my hand as I think. 'So... I guess we just found our first restricted area... but why would Monobear do that? Seems odd he would confine us to just one place of the camp.'

Aster interrupts me. 'That ain't the only bizarre thing, kid. Haven't you noticed how... quiet this places is?'

We both look at him confused. He gives an exasperated look before continuing. 'I mean... we're in the middle of a forest yet... no birds! No critters running amok! Nothin'!'

My eyes widen at this, realization dawning on me. Aster was right. I hadn't even seen a mosquito or a fly, much less fish on the lake. 'Could... could it be this place is... artificial completely...?'

'It would make sense, Hic... the person behind this was already powerful enough to do all of the things he's done so far...', Jack adds.

'But blimey... is there really someone powerful enough and rich enough to pull this off...?', says Aster, not quite believing what we were discussing.

A long silence stands between us as we try to find answers to every question, but the answers elude us. Aster finally groans, breaking the silence. 'A'right, I give up for today. At least we got familiar with our surroundings...'

I smile as I understand the need to be aware of your surroundings, a true survival skill. A whine catches my attention, recognizing the deep voice anywhere.

'Hiiic, I'm tired and hungry! Let's call it a day', says Jack, obviously playing up his complain for comedic effect.

Well, it is 5 PM. Might as well grab dinner.

'Sure, I'm hungry as well.' I turn to Aster, 'Want to come with us to the restaurant?'

'Nah, I think I'll grab somethin' from the supermarket to spice up my room. 'Sides, I don't want to spend time with the Amazingly Annoyin' Human Frostbite', he says as he smirks at Jack. I laugh at the scowl on Jack's face, and Aster nods approvingly.

'See ya later, ankle biter. Take care.' he says as he walks past me and ruffles my hair. On our way back to the restaurant, Jack complains about Aster all the way, saying the Ultimate Survivalist doesn't know how to have fun. Guess Jack didn't leave a good impression on Aster back when we met in that room. But I'm pretty sure Jack was partially to blame on that. Sure, Aster didn't have the sunniest disposition, but Jack wasn't exactly a saint. I was surprised I had tolerated him for this long, but then again, it wasn't like his company was unpleasant or anything and he was actually pretty good looki-

Yeah, OK. Whoa. I need to stop that train of thought.

I don't voice any of my thoughts to Jack, obviously, as we make our way to the restaurant.

* * *

When we arrive at McMonobear's, we find it empty. Huh, guess everyone is still looking around... I really hope they find something.

A movement near the corner of my eye catches my attention, however, and I realize we aren't alone here. Because a certain Ultimate Thief was sneaking around, edging closer to the cashier, his eyes focused on the machine, and his movements slow, but smooth and precise.

The sight made me chuckle, but Flynn was so focused on his mission that he didn't even hear me. So much for an Ultimate Thief... he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings and the aqua blue vest and white shirt ensemble wasn't exactly sneaky.

Plus, he was trying to steal something worthless!

Shaking my head as Flynn's fingertips were nearly on the cashier, his eyes sparkling with excitement, I spoke up.

'Uh... you do know that the cashier doesn't have any money, right? They don't charge us for anything here, so...'

'Yikes!', Flynn shouted as he jumped far away from the cashier as if it had suddenly burst into flames. He lost his balance and landed on his butt. Of course, Jack was having a good laugh at his expense already.

'Don't scare me like that, kid! I think I lost like 10 years of my lifespan.' said the brown haired teen as he got up and dusted himself off, a scowl on his face.

Snickering, Jack said: 'That's what you get for trying to steal an empty cashier!'

Flynn blushed, obviously embarrassed at his blunder, before mumbling, 'I... I just wanted to keep my skills sharp...'

Ah, I get it. I guess all of the Ultimates do have to keep practicing their skills in order to get better. I briefly think about how I would practice my Luck before dismissing the ridiculous notion; my talent isn't real. But Flynn's talent was real, unsavory activities notwithstanding. Maybe I can give him some pointers...?

I rub my arm, not looking at Flynn while I mutter: 'W-well... you were doing just fine... you just need to pay better attention to your surroundings... is all.'

The Ultimate Thief just looks at me, a confused gaze plastered on his face.

'I m-mean... you didn't even notice us when I laughed... a thief has to be in constant alert, right?' I finish, unsure. Did I go too far? Was I being too meddlesome?

'Huh... I never noticed that... I'll keep that in mind, kid', said Flynn, a sly smirk playing on his lips. Relief washed over me as I saw how nicely he had taken my comment.

'Seriously, dude.' says Jack, 'How did you even avoid getting caught?'

Flynn's smile only got wider as he stared at Jack, 'Well, I am a pretty good runner. There's probably no one better than me at it', he said with confidence.

I turned to see Jack's face and I groaned internally as I saw exactly what I was fearing; Jack's eyes were shining with excitement. We're reaching Bad Idea Central, courtesy of Mr. Overland.

'Oh, really? I bet I can beat you in race', said the white haired idiot. Did this guy ever run out of energy? And what's with his obsession with racing? This guy just can't resist a challenge.

Hopefully Flynn would be the mature one and-

'You're on, kid. One lap around the camp. Ready?'

'You bet your goatee I am!', said Jack, earnest excitement in his voice.

And without even looking at me, they're gone, sprinting like Terrible Terrors after fish. I didn't expect Flynn to be kinda childish but maybe he's just that confident on himself?

I... wonder how... that feels... Confidence.

A grumble on my stomach snaps me out of my blues and I order a simple grilled chicken burger, and as I eat in solitude, I try to not let my thoughts wander towards Toothless... towards our current situation.

I can't break down again. If not for my sake... then for Jack's. I still can remember the look on his eyes back when I... 'awoke' from my self-imposed shut down. The extreme worry on his face... Yeah, it wasn't a nice sight. I never wanted to see that look ever again.

So, no matter what, I had to be strong. Monobear be damned.

With a sigh, I finished the last bite of my food and headed towards the exit. Maybe I'll be able to catch the white-haired idiot running by...

* * *

I didn't see Jack anywhere, and there was still some time left before Night Time started... and while I was a master at the whole 'Seclude Yourself in your Room' life style, I didn't want to shut myself inside my room just yet.

Maybe... should I hang out with someone? I can't just cling to Jack like an overbearing girlfriend... but who should I hang out with...?

As I walk around the Rec Area, my eyes drift to the laundromat. We didn't explore it because it was out of order (A bummer, really, I wanted to wash this shirt), but something else caught my attention. Someone was standing on front of the place. I could recognize that pale blonde hair and pale complexion anywhere else.

I don't know motivated me to hang with HER of all people available, but maybe... just maybe... I was losing my mind.

'Hello, Elsa'

The girl is obviously startled by my greeting. Her expression tells me as much as she turns to face me. She quickly changes her expression into a glare, the coldness of it leaving me... well, cold.

'What do you want?', she speaks in a cold, monotonous tone.

Yyyeah... I didn't plan this through, did I?

An uncomfortable silence stretches between us, her glare still focused on me.I just can't come up with topics for small talk to break the ice, either.

Finally, an exasperated sigh leaves Elsa's lips, her glare disappearing. 'I said, what do you want, Mr...?'

'Oh! Um... Haddock. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock.', Geez, she didn't even remember my name...

'Mr. Haddock... why are you talking to me? What is it that you need? An autograph? Money?', Elsa continues, her voice harsh and questioning. 'If this is to ask me out or something I-'

Whoa! Whoa, time out! I lifted my hands in order to stop Elsa from talking. 'I don't want anything! I just... want to talk... yeah!', I said as I gestured nervously.

The glare she gave me told me she wasn't buying it. But I was being honest! I didn't want anything from her, much less dating!

'Hmph... they all say the same thing...' she muttered, more to herself than anyone.

My curiosity got the best of me. Without thinking, I blurted out 'Why do you hate me?', mentally slapping myself at my inability for controlling my tongue.

Another shocked expression appeared on Elsa's face. Guess the Ice Queen had a few cracks on her ice mask.

'Why... do you think I hate you?'

'Well, for one, you always glare at me as if I were a smoked eel, you refuse to even interact with me and whenever Anna greets me you kill me with your stare in like 50 different ways', I said as I counted off the items on the list with my fingers, knowing full well that I was pushing my luck with sarcasm.

Elsa stood there still shocked. And I wondered if I had pushed it a little too far.

The Ultimate Figure Skater spoke up, her tone of voice even, as if she were holding back some emotion: 'You... I don't have anything against you specifically...'

'Then... why?'

'You're a stranger. I don't know any of you... why should I act all friendly with you guys?' she asked, her eyes not fully meeting mine, as if she were afraid of seeing me.

Well, she did have a point... especially in a situation like ours, dropping our guard in front of total strangers would be quite foolish. But still...

'Well... I'm not really a social butterfly but...' I said as I rubbed the back of my head, 'Would it be so bad if we stopped being strangers...?'

In an instant, her gaze stiffened, her glare increasing in coldness. 'Well, I'm sorry to say... that I'm not interested... and I would like to request of you that you don't approach me again. If you'll excuse me...' and with that, she left... in quite a hurry, I might add.

Elsa Arendelle, the Ultimate Figure Skater, her demeanor matches her title and clothes, an undeniable cold exterior and disposition. Yet... what I saw n her eyes was something else. Distrust, uneasiness... loneliness and longing. And in that moment I wondered if I had really met the real Elsa Arendelle at all.

* * *

After that bout of exhausting human interaction, I returned to my cottage. It was already 8 PM by the time I returned, and only then did I realize it had been 2 days since our capture. It honestly felt longer than that.

After taking a much needed shower, I sat in my bed, noticing how bare my room was. Maybe a trip to the supermarket was needed... and I can't believe I was seriously considering furnishings my cage. Shaking my head, I picked up the sketchbook I found at the supermarket and I started to draw lazily on it, most of the doodles being the usual dragons. Skrills, Terrible Terrors and Gronckles slowly filled the page but of course most of the drawings were of my bud, Toothless. I had to admit that I drew Night Furies a little too much but they were special y'know?

I started drawing on a new page absentmindedly until static buzzed on the nearby monitor, Monobear's stupid face appearing on it, still drinking that lemonade like yesterday's announcement.

'Uh, it is now 10 PM! Night Time has begun! The restaurant and laundromat are now closed! Please return to your cottages and let the soothing sound of summer and cicadas lull you to sleep. Sweet dreams everyone, Gooood night!'

'There aren't any cicadas in this camp, you dumb bear...' I mouthed under my breath, rolling my eyes at the Headmaster's announcement. Feeling drained of energy all of a sudden, I went to close my sketchbook in order to go to bed and then I noticed what I was sketching.

It was Jack. a full blown picture of him smiling a cocky smile, eyes closed from the gesture.

I closed the sketchbook way faster than I had intended to, the flushed feeling on my cheek way too obvious. Gods, what was wrong with me? Why was I getting embarrassed about this? Friends draw other friends, right? And Jack was a good friend! Sure, annoying and a troublemaker but he was also caring and understanding and protective... a good friend, overall!

Yeah, I'm sure the stress from today was just messing with my mind. Sighing loudly, I stood up to turn off the lights and I plopped down to my bed, the sketchbook forgotten in the middle of the floor.

'Honestly Haddock...' I said, admonishing myself for thinking about Jack like that. I had admitted to myself long ago that I would date anyone pretty much regardless of gender and Jack was good looking enough, but I also knew the risks of my orientation... and I didn't want to lose a friend simply because of that. Especially my first human friend.

Plus there was the whole Field Trip of Mutual Killing nonsense. Getting a crush right now... was utter madness.

Trying to convince myself of this, I closed my eyes and after turning and tossing for an hour I managed to fall asleep.

* * *

**- MONOBEAR THEATER-  
**

* * *

Y'know something? Kids scare me. Why, you ask? Simple. They're far too honest.

Unlike us learned adults who know how to lie and pretend in order to make our society function, kids blurt anything that comes to their minds without filters. They lack tact. And while some find that honesty endearing, I am utterly mortified everytime a kid gets near me and calls me a fat, stupid, useless old bear who no one would miss if I died. Because they're voicing what they really think. What they really see about me, no filters or regards for tact or appearances.

Children are... truly frightening creatures.

* * *

**Phew! Hopefully that was interesting enough. I kinda dread doing expository chapters, y'know? I feel like they're not actiony enough! Probably me just being dumb!**

**Anyways, hope it was entertaining! We also had our first Free Time Event, the first place going to Elsa, surprisingly! Keep voting for them characters, though! I'll probably churn these chapters out sooner now that I have free time again.**

**Enjoy these peaceful chapters while they last. Soon, shit will hit the fan, as they say, Puhuhuhu!**

**See ya guys next chapter, and please review! It gives me confidence to see that so many people have even viewed this fic, but I kinda would like to read your thoughts more!**


	8. 1 - Chapter 1 - Normal Lives C

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - Normal Days C**

* * *

**Today is a special day! I bring you a double update! Two chapters for the prize of one! Well, the second chapter is shorter than this one but its not any less important!  
**

**Today's chapter also features Free Time with Flynn. Speaking of Free Time, I added a poll on my profile, so you can vote there now!**

**Also, I reduced the rating to T for the meanwhile because there's honestly nothing M-rating worthy yet but I guess I'll change it back when that content happens.**

**Without further ado... dig in!**

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

Monobear's morning announcement roused me from sleep. I merely grunted in disdain at it, still too angry to even speak back at the image of him. I wasn't going to forgive the bear for what he did to Toothless ever. But staying in here festering in my own anger wasn't going to accomplish anything. I put on my clothes (should I get more from the supermarket?) and shoes and I was just starting to leave when a loud knock started on my door.

I wasn't surprised to see Jack at the door, truth be told, but seeing Astrid, Merida and Sandy next to him was surely a surprise.

'The Protect Hiccup squad, ready for duty, sir!', said Jack, standing tall and doing a mock salute before Astrid punched his arm with a scowl, Merida and Sandy laughing at the pained expression of the white haired teen.

Alright... what's going on? 'Am I missing something...?' I asked. A familiar sketchbook was trusted on my face, Sandy's words clearly displayed on it, 'It was Jack's idea!'

Astrid read the words as Sandy pulled the sketchbook back, and said with a nod, 'Yeah, a pretty good idea if you ask me.'

''bout the only good one he has evah had if ya ask me', said Merida, snorting.

Jack glared at the girl, obviously annoyed at how everyone was ganging up on him. Still confused about this, I crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow as I waited for an answer.

Jack caught my stare and coughed, embarrassed. 'Well, you see, I started to think about Snotlout like we did yesterday and I thought... y'know...'

'What Jack is trying to say', said Astrid as she too crossed her arms, 'is that we're going to stick together during our stay here.'

'Safety in numbers!', said Merida while Sandy merely nodded.

Jack just looked at me sheepishly, 'So... here we are!'

I groaned a bit, bringing the palm of my hand to my forehead. Great, I was just trying to squash any kind of possible feelings I was developing for this white haired idiot and here he was, worried about my safety. 'I suppose I don't have a choice...'

The four of them all shouted (well, three shouted and one wrote) a synchronized 'Nope!' and I knew it was futile to resist. Jack grabbed me by my arm and pulled me towards the group, grinning that stupidly white smile of his. 'C'mon Hic! Let's grab us some chow!'

'Alright alright', I said in a defeated tone. Truth be told, I was hungry and I felt safer with these guys, at ease even. As we walked towards the restaurant, making idle chatter about things like how Monobear had the gall of waking us up so early and how terrible it was that the lake's beauty had been marred by a fence, and how surprisingly good the food at McMonobear's was, Merida suddenly whinned.

'Ugh, that accursed bear and his plans have put a damper on my archery practice!'

Astrid looked at her with an understanding look on her face, 'Yeah, I haven't been able to practice my fighting skills either. I feel like I'm getting rusty by missing two days in a row.'

...Did this girl fight every hour of her life?

'I know, right! Sure wish we had someone to practice with...', said Merida as she trailed off.

I noticed Sandy was rather pensive and then, as an idea made its way on his mind, he lifted a finger and smiled widely as he wrote something in his sketchbook rather hastily. What I read on that notebook of his made my blood chill.

'Why don't you guys train together?'

No. Absolutely not. No way. I was going to get tangled up in this mess one way or another and I-

'Sandy... that's a great idea!' said Merida, jumping and clapping in place.

'How could I have missed that...? A sparring partner was next to me and I didn't notice her!', said Astrid, her eyes wide with excitement.

'Yeah! This is gonna be great! I can tell...', Merida's eyes fell on me and what I dreaded happened, realization filling her face, 'We can even have Hiccup here help us!'

Soon enough, Astrid's eyes focused on me and that dread turned into real fear. Thor, why? 'Yeah...! A Berkian Warrior assisting us in training is sure to be interesting...'

I sighed loudly at this, 'Guys... I'm not a warrior. We made that clear before, remember?'.

Merida grabbed my hands rather harshly and her tone was practically begging, 'C'mooon Hiccup! Please? Pretty please? I can't stop practicin'! I'll lose my edge!'

Astrid joined in the begging, but not as extremely as the red haired girl, 'Please? We have no one else to turn to.'

Jack was looking at us rather amusedly, and he chimed in with his own comment, 'Y'know Hic... you better just accept... You're dealing with these girls after all.'

Sandy walked next to him and nodded, and now the four of them were looking eagerly at me. Great, today was 'Ganging up on Hiccup' day, right?

I sighed in defeat, 'Alright fine! But if I lose a limb I'll never ever talk to you guys again!', I said, pointing at them angrily while I tried to give the most severe glare I could muster.

To my surprise, Astrid hugged me, a reaction completely at odds from my expectations of an Ultimate Warrior. But then again, despite their titles, these kids were just that, kids. I really needed to stop dehumanizing them.

Astrid broke the hug and punched my arm slightly, 'Thanks, Hiccup.', genuine feelings of gratefulness on her words.

'We should do this after our search!' said Merida, bubbling with excitement.

Astrid turned back to her and started walking to the restaurant, 'Yeah, that way I can plan a routine as well...' and her voice trailed off as she and Merida walked away, the whole 'Protect Hiccup' plan thankfully forgotten, leaving Jack, Sandy and I behind.

A nudge on my ribs grabbed my attention, Jack being the one who did the gesture, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. 'Look at you Hic. You're quite the heartbreaker.'

I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the playful smile of Sandy, 'Shut it Frosty, before I break you.' Oh. Did I speak too much?

Jack just took in stride, a cocky grin on his face, 'Frosty? Really Hic?'

'I just wasn't feeling Jackass or Frosted Twig anymore, Jack.' I said in a mocking, all-knowing tone, 'Change is the spice of life, young grasshopper!'

'Hic, I'm older than you!'

'Really? I could've swore I was dealing with a 5 year old.'

'Sometimes I wonder if you just ask for trouble, Hic.' Said Jack, a playful glare on his face.

'Well, y'know', I said, bringing up my arm and flexing it as much as I could to show off my almost nonexistent bicep, 'tough vikings like me deal with trouble all the time!'

That did it, Jack absolutely lost it and fell to the ground in a mix of chortles. 'Goddamn it... Hiccup...! How do you...? How can you even say stuff like that so easily...?'

Score one more for me. If there was anything I was good at, it was witty banter. 'Y'know... I have my moments.' I said, trying to fight the urge to laugh, glancing at Sandy who was laughing silently at our exchange. The Ultimate Dream Interpreter caught my glance and he scribbled away on his sketchpad a simple drawing of a burger.

Right, we need to get breakfast. Nodding at Sandy, I started walking towards the restaurant, only briefly stopping to call Jack's name to make him stop laughing that infectious laugh of his that lightened his face in such a nice manne-

Focus Hiccup, Gods!

As we walked towards the restaurant, Jack catching up to us but walking alongside Sandy and playing a quick game of Hangman on his sketchbook, I seriously had to struggle with keeping my eyes off the white haired idiot, who was giving Sandy the time of his life with his ridiculous guesses. (Seriously, Jack. Platypus is not a 5 letter word!)

...Odin's ghost, I was pretty much hopeless, wasn't I?

* * *

Breakfast was pretty uneventful. Merida and Astrid were planning away their training regime and I had to grimace when I heard '10 minute swordfight session' from their hushed whispers. Jack and Sandy were playing charades (incredibly so, Jack was losing badly) but the Ultimate Mystery still had the time to laugh at my expression. But outside of that, yeah, breakfast was uneventful.

Or it would have been if it weren't for the Twins.

Snotlout was being a muttonhead, flexing and showing off to a clearly not interested Rapunzel (Amusingly, I noticed that Flynn wasn't too happy about this), when it happened. As Snotlout went to for a bite on his breakfast burrito, the dish exploded loudly in his face, food splattering all over the Ultimate Heavy Lifter's face.

Of course, laughter erupted from our group, Jack and Flynn being the most boisterous, though North wasn't behind. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Tuffnut and Ruffnut high fiving, and headbutting, each other obviously very proud of themselves.

After a few more laughs, and some Snotlout grumbling, North finally managed to put up his laughter under control and asked us to pipe down in order to discuss our findings from yesterday.

Unfortunately, as I had dreaded, no one had found out anything important. The cheery mood we all had shared just a few moments ago vanished. However, North's loud clap snapped us out from our daze. 'Well! No use in getting mopey! Must not lose hope yet, yes?' he said, earnestly.

'Aye to that mate. I ain't givin' up against such a small beast like that bear just yet.', said Aster, confidence returning to his features.

'Yeah! Let's give it our best today, guys!', said Anna, her excitement returning faster than any of could've imagined. I guess her optimism was one of her redeeming qualities.

'Oh! Oh! That reminds me!', said Fishlegs, excited as he fumbled around his pocket and fished around for his ElectroID, 'Yesterday while I messed around with my ElectroID, I discovered a new function!'. The Ultimate Encyclopedia eagerly punched around something on his ID and a few moments later, a buzz sounded on all our ElectroIDs simultaneously.

Taking out the device, a simple message was displayed on its screen.

'I'm 100% sure this is IM- That's short for Instant Messaging, by the way!'

I had to admit, this was a nice function. 'Very impressive, Fishlegs.', I said to him, the blonde boy obviously embarrassed about a sincere compliment.

'Yeah, this is going to help us a lot in our investigations!', said Tooth, smiling brightly.

'So what're we waitin for?! Let's get to it!', said Merida fiercely.

And with a renewed sense of hope, we filed out from the restaurant, Jack quickly catching up to me and with him at my side, the hope I felt grew exponentially more.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

After some more hours of looking for anything, any kind of clue about an escape route... We came up empty-handed. Defeated, we returned to the Rec Area, but Hiccup, saying something along the lines of 'we shouldn't waste the day', decided to go to the supermarket in order to get some clothes and things for his room. Deciding to do the same, I followed him. But I did so not only for the material goods, but for my companion. I gazed into his freckled face and while he looked tired and a bit disappointed, he didn't look as hopeless as yesterday... What a relief.

I had to admit, despite how odd they all were, the other students certainly knew how to give pep talks. Especially Nick. He was a born leader and I seriously felt bad for doubting him. Or any of the others. Slowly, but surely I started to trust these guys. And let me tell you, for someone with no memories like me, making new, fun memories... well, let's just say I was very grateful for them.

For more than one reason. They had helped me cheer up the little fishbone walking next to me, and I was grateful. Beyond belief.

So far, my plan was succeeding. Staying around Hic triggered a small memory, a flicker. I saw my mom's face and her tale about a harsh blizzard. It was small, but reassuring.

But my motivation for staying around Hiccup had changed, I could tell. And I honestly felt bad for using the kid as a tool. He honestly looked like he wanted to help me get my memories back, his worry real. It honestly made me sick, the fact that I was just playing with his company.

But then I realized I was starting to hang out with him not because of my plans, but because I genuinely enjoyed his company. His sarcastic remarks, his wit, the way he gestured when he got nervous, his awkwardness... I truly believed he was a good friend in my lost past... and if that were the case... then even if he doesn't remember me now, I'm gonna befriend him again.

Because I... don't think I can leave this scrawny kid alone. Especially not when that fucking bear is so set on tormenting us. So I'll.. y'know... just stay and keep him company.

'If you keep staring out at space like that, I'm going to start believing in trolls, y'know?'

Ah, there it is, that nasally voice of his delivering another sharp witty line. I grin back to the fishbone of a Viking as he looks at me with an arched eyebrow and a toothy grin, an expression I only see on him when he's confident and comfortable around other people.

'Well, Hic! That's the thing! Trolls and magical creatures are real! I saw the Tooth Fairy just yesterday!'

He looks at me with a 'are-you-serious?' face and I can't help but feel like laughing, but I can't just yet; my 'routine' isn't done.

'Oh, reaaally?', he says with the same expression, crossing his arms, 'Jack, we've been here since 2 days ago. WHEN did you see the Tooth Fairy?'

He took the bait. Grinning even wider, I grab Hiccup's shoulders and spin him in order to show him Tooth, who is a few aisles away, checking out the various dentifrice brands and clicking her tongue at some of them disapprovingly.

'I'd say she's pretty real, don't you think?', I say, barely controlling my laughter. I feel a sharp jab on my gut, a feeling I'm already familiar with as Hiccup's hand retreats to his side.

'Jack, you're such an idiot', he says, but I can tell there's no malice in his tone or his face, that grin of his too telling.

I shove him back playfully, 'What? If dragons are real, then who says the Tooth Fairy isn't?', I retort.

'I'm not even going to give an answer to that', he says with a finality, turning his attention to a stack of clothes, which he starts to browse, discarding any that aren't green, brown or black.

I playfully lean on him, making Hiccup lose his balance momentarily but not entirely, and I can feel his glare even though I'm not seeing it directly, 'Hiiiic, why are you so mean? I give you solid proof of a magical creature and you just brush me off.'

He moves away from me fast, and since I was actually fully leaning on him, I stumble to the ground. 'The only proof I got is that you're a doofus, without a doubt', I hear from above me. I get up rather nimbly if I do say so myself, and follow the Ultimate Lucky Student as he goes for the entrance, where he deposits the clothes he picked up in a box that contains paints, colors and charcoals. A box next to his, mine by the way, is full of blue and brown clothing, the vast majority of them being for winter weather.

What can I say? I like hoodies a lot.

'No wonder you almost died of heatstroke yesterday.' says Hiccup, who looks at my box's content disapprovingly.

'Can it, dragon boy.' I say as I pick up my box.

'Well, that was very original Jack. If I weren't holding a box right now', he says as he picks up the one that belongs to him, 'I would have given you a rancorous round of applause and a standing ovation!'

'You can still do that without a reason you know', I say as we briskly walk away from the supermarket, 'After all, I'm pretty amazing just by being here in your presence.'

'Yeah, it's an amazing miracle of life that you haven't forgotten how to breathe.' Ouch, OK. This kid is really coming at me with no holds barred.

It seems he's realized what he said because I hear a low, 'I'm sorry... I didn't mean to...'

'It's OK Hic, I forgive you', and I truly do. Because I know he didn't mean to. In fact, I kinda like how he acts around me as if I hadn't lost my memory. I like how he doesn't pity me for it either. His worry about me and my feelings are genuine. 'It doesn't bother me, really. Besides,' I say with a playful grin, 'you will pay me back when Astrid kicks your ass.'

I hear him groan dramatically and I laugh, 'You're coming to watch?', he asks, although I'm sure he knows my answer already.

'Wouldn't miss it for the world, Hic. Now let's get this to our cottages, it's almost time!'

'Oh, joy...'

I chuckle at his displeasure. Sure, our future... especially my future... is uncertain... but spending time with these guys... with this guy... for the rest of my life in peace? Just like this, every day? Even if I never recovered my memory? I wouldn't mind it... not at all..

'Y'know, Jack... you never told me how your race against Flynn ended...', says Hiccup in a questioning tone.

'T-that's not important...!', I say, stuttering. There was no way I was going to admit that he ran circles around me.

Hiccup just snorts, apparently knowing already the results of our race. What a cheeky, charming smartass.

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

I don't even know why I was here, to be honest, or why was there even a need for a sparring session between Astrid and Merida. Or if this even qualified as 'sparring', because they looked extremely serious about kicking each other's butt.

Practice wooden swords clashed and in a flash separated, the two girls circling each other with a guarded stance. Even though they weren't fighting right now, a charged feeling emanated from them, and I couldn't even keep try to keep my eyes away from the scene. Sandy sat next to me, a sketch of the two girls abandoned halfway as he too kept an eye on the training session, and while Jack pretended he wasn't interested, his gaze never left the two fighters once they started.

Sudden movement caught my attention again and I had to gasp as Astrid leapt high in the air, spinning in midair before bringing down her sword towards Merida with an almost inhuman speed.

To her credit, the Ultimate Archer managed to block the blow but at a prize. Her sword broke from the impact and before she could have reacted, Astrid landed next to her and tripped Merida up with a swipe of her leg. The match ended when Astrid brought her sword to Merida's neck, the blonde sporting a confident smirk, the redhead a scowl on her face as she blew a strand of hair from her face.

That 'light sparring session' took 20 minutes.

'Not bad', said Astrid, offering the fallen redhead a hand.

'Well, you're pretty impressive yerself', said Merida, taking her hand with a light blush on her cheeks.

And they weren't being modest. All through the session, their movements were exhilarating, fierce but precise, quick but strong. Especially Astrid's. Her Ultimate Warrior title wasn't for show; the wooden sword she held truly moved as if it were an extension of her arm, and her battle moves were obviously practiced.

Sandy and Jack run towards the girls, shouting praises and congratulations, I following slowly behind. The girls accept the praises with pleasure, especially Merida. She really did well for being an Ultimate Archer.

'So, what did you think?', said Astrid after she saw me.

'Well, I'm gonna be honest', I say as I shrug, 'I really don't know why you guys even want to spar with me outside of maybe you guys wanting to kick my ass. You both are, uh, amazing.' I finish sheepishly.

Astrid grins before punching me in the arm yet again, but I can tell my compliment hit the mark, as her eyes are filled with warmth.

'Specially you, Merida! I thought you were the Ultimate Archer, not the Ultimate Swordswoman!', I say as I turn to face the red-head who just grins and brings me up for a hug, which I return awkwardly. This kind... of human contact is... too much!

'Aw, you're just tryin' to soften me up so that I don't beat ya too harshly', says Merida breaking up the hug, her tone of voice teasing.

I roll my eyes and cross my arms. 'Seriously, Merida. Astrid. I'm not fighting you guys! I just saw what you guys are capable of and I don't relish the idea of ending up like that wooden sword.' I say as I kick the discarded stick away.

'C'mooon Hiccup! I wanna see yer moves!', said Merida, still insisting.

'A-absolutely not!', I said, firmly. 'I have self-preservation instincts, y'know? I'm not gonna fight a stronger opponent! B-besides... you broke the only swords you brought!'

'How about hand-to-hand combat? We could always try that...' offered Astrid, her eyes twinkling dangerously. Oh boy.

'A-as I said... I don't relish the idea of getting my ass kick-', but before I could finish, an exasperated sight from the blonde cuts me off.

'Look, if we got you an opponent that is not us, would you do it?'

I narrow my eyes at this, 'W-why are you so insisting on this?'

'Because were worried about you, Hiccup!', interjects Merida, also exasperated. 'Look, no offense, Hiccup, but you're not exactly the most... intimidating guy around.' Ouch, 'So we want to make sure you can take care of yerself! Especially in a place like this!'

OK, even if she was right... hearing it from someone else was harsh. Dad always used to scold me for trying to walk away from self-defense classes, using the same insults as the girls in front of me. 'I... can take care of myself...', I mumbled stubbornly.

'Then prove it!', both of them yelled at the same time, startling me enough to make me jump.

Of all the...! And they say Vikings are stubborn?! Clearly they haven't met these girls.

'Fine!', I all but spat the word, but the girls aren't even fazed, instead hooting and high fiving at my answer. 'I just hope you don't get North or Snotlout into this... I told you I don't wanna die...'

'Don't worry about it.' says Astrid, dismissing my comment with a wave of her hand. 'Jack, do you want to help?'

At this, I froze in place. I slowly turned to see the white haired teen standing there, shocked as well. Jack fidgets in place, tugging at the hem of his hoodie. 'Uh... what?'

'Well, if Hiccup won't spar against us, we figured you'd be up for it! I mean, we aren't making Sandy fight Hiccup, so you're the only one left.', says Merida nonchalantly, as if there was nothing wrong with what she just said.

'I'm not so sure about this Mer...', said Jack, as he rubbed the back of his head a thing he did when he was nervous.

'Yeah... I... you said you'd get me an... opponent of my level and...' I say as I rub my arm awkwardly, but then I gasp at the realization of what I have just said. And sure enough, as I look into Jack's eyes, I can see the glint on those blue pools of his, shining with the prospect of a challenge.

'Oooh? is that so Hic? Are you saying I'm not at your level...?'

'N-no I-'

'Are you saying you can defeat me easily?'

Well, if you don't have experience then maybe-no wait what am I thinking?! 'No, Jack, listen, I-'

'You are so on, Hic', Jack says as he walks boldly towards Merida, taking her place.

...I wonder if I can outrun them... hiding on my cottage sounds like a good idea...

'C'mon Hic! Bring it on!', shouts Jack, jumping in place with a confident smirk on his face. Gods, its a good thing we chose the lake shore as a practice area, else we would have undoubtedly attracted attention to us.

Thor help me, I have no choice right? I should probably get this over with.

As Astrid and Merida make their way towards me, I glare at them. 'You guys... owe me big time...'

Astrid just smirks as she passes me and sits next to Sandy, whispering 'Don't be too harsh on him, OK?'

Merida soon joins her and as I walk towards Jack, I can hear her shout 'KNOCK HIS FROSTY ASS OUT, HADDOCK!'.

Sure, no pressure, right? It's not like I'm going to hurt my friend or anything... why do people like fighting anyway?!

As I stand a few meters away of Jack, I've seen he's already taken a stance, legs open and hands at ready. 'C'mon, Hic, show me what you got!', he hollers, full of confidence.

I take a similar stance and Odin, I'm so nervous! It's a different kind of nervous from the usual I get whenever I sparred with kids on the village; this is a nervousness coming from fighting a friend. Not good.

We start circling each other slowly, and I use this time to study my opponent, like I've been told to do in my self-defense classes. OK, Jack looks very confident but his stance is actually too wide and shaky. He's undoubtedly stronger than me, even though he's gangly. That's actually an advantage to him; he's taller and he has more reach. So... if he manages to catch me I'm done. Great! My legendary clumsiness will surely help!

'C'mon Hic! Are you gonna attack or what?' says Jack, impatiently.

Nuh uh. I'm not taking the bait. I'm more of a retaliation guy. Countering and defense are... uh, my expertise I guess? I'll capitalize on my opponent's impatience and strike.

It's kinda funny how obvious his punch is, what with the obvious wind up, and I kinda feel bad when I side-step it easily. After evading the attack, I grab Jack's arm and as I step around him I bring it to his back. Before he can react, I put all my strength on a kick and I trip him up. Before long, Jack is on the floor, I pinning him to the ground with his arm on his back. I can hear him muttering some choice curse words and Merida's cheering voice reaches my ears.

...I... can't believe I actually managed to pull it off without messing up!

I get off from Jack's back hastily, and I offer him a hand to help him stand. 'Are you OK?'

'Pfft, what's with that face?', says Jack as he takes my hand and gets up, 'Relax Hic, I'm fine. I'll live!' he says as he dusts himself off and groans when he moves his arm. 'But seriously man, I shouldn't have underestimated you! That hurt a bit...'

I blush at the compliment, and I try to play down my achievement, 'I-I'm actually surprised I pulled it off...'

'You're selling yourself short, Hic. You did great.' says Jack with a carefree grin.

'I agree.', says Astrid who had walked towards us, a gentle smile on her face. 'Sure, your movements can always use improvement but you look like you knew what you were doing.'

'Oh man, I wish I had a camera! Seeing Overland getting his butt kicked by Hiccup was prizeless!', says Merida, snorting. Sandy is next to her, a drawing of me with a championship belt on his sketchbook, giving me a warm smile.

'Well, at least some of us are having fun.' I hear Jack mumble as he clutches the back of his head, hissing in pain slightly.

'No kidding.', Sure, it was nice to have won, but I didn't really enjoy it. And besides, I was still worried about Jack. He said it was nothing but he keeps grabbing the back of his head...

'So, up for another round?', said Merida, who obviously still wanted to see Jack getting floored.

'Ah, no, actually... I'm calling it quits right now... I'm tired and I...', I couldn't finish the sentence as I watched Jack fall to one knee, the teen clutching his head with both hands as if he were in pain.

'I'm... fine... guys... don't worry...!', he said as we surrounded him, obviously not buying his words. I knew it... I knew something was going to go wrong. Hiccup the Useless strikes again!

'We should get him to his cottage...', I say, but my suggestion isn't needed. Merida and Astrid are already lifting Jack up by his arms and carrying him away, Sandy and me following close by.

Worry gnaws at my gut as he passes out halfway to his cottage. When we arrive there, I hesitantly pull out his ElectroID from his hoodie pocket, and once we're inside, the girls plop him down in his bed. Jack's face looks peaceful, all things considered, and there aren't any external injuries from what I can tell but I'm still worried.

A firm hand on my shoulder grabs my attention and I see Astrid, who is smiling gently at me, completely at odds with her Ultimate Warrior persona. 'Relax Hiccup. He just passed out. He'll be fine.'

'Guess he couldn't handle all that raw vikingness of you...', says Merida with a low laugh.

At that crack, I smiled a bit. OK, he's going to be alright... you didn't kill him... this handsome idiot is still with us- and there goes my mind wandering again! Enough.

Returning my gaze to Jack's unconscious body, I worry again. 'Shouldn't we keep watch, though? Just in case...?'

Suddenly, Sandy's sketchbook appears in front of me, the words 'I'll do it! Leave it to me!' clearly written on them.

'Well, that settles it.', says Astrid as she walks to leave. 'C'mon Hiccup. He'll be fine and he's in good hands.' she finishes, urging me to leave.

Grudgingly, I wave at Sandy a goodbye and we leave Jack's cottage.

The girls suggest we pick up the sparring session where we left it but I'm not in the mood anymore, the accident with Jack draining me of energy. Merida and Astrid agree to let me go and as I make to leave, a knowing smirk is displayed on their faces, as if they know something I don't, but I'm too moody to care.

I cross the distance between Jack's and I's cottage and enter mine with a dejected sigh. As I plop myself face down on my bed I grumble as I add Jack's well-being to my pile of ever growing worries.

Today was just a very rotten day.

* * *

I lay in there in my cottage for a few hours, wallowing in my worry. Worrying about everything. It's all I ever do these days. Before, I only worried about my own inadequacy and my role as a Dragon Trainer and my future as chief of the village. Now I have to worry if I'll make it out of here alive, if Toothless will be OK, if Jack will be OK...

At his name, I stand up.

That's right... he wouldn't want me to just shut myself in my room... the asshole would probably want me to get out there and have some fun... Yeah...

The day is almost over, but I guess I should do something... anything to end the day in a high note...!

As I wander around the camp grounds aimlessly, I settle for entering the Lounge. Perhaps Rapunzel has returned the books she took...?

To my surprise, I find Flynn plopped down on a couch and reading a book. Talk about a jarring sight. The Ultimate Thief's is scrunched up in concentration as I approach him and he even jumps a bit as I greet him with a feeble 'Hi'. I guess he took my advice to heart.

Flynn's shocked expression melts away into an easy smile as he recognizes who I am, and he shoots a loud, 'Hey there!' before returning to his book. OK... I don't have anything against people educating themselves but I don't thin I'm alone in finding this behavior at odds with his personality... I'd think Flynn would rather steal gold than absorb knowledge.

Sitting down on a couch across him, ignoring the nervousness I'm getting from thinking if I'm intruding too much, I ask him."What are you reading there?"

Looking up from his book, Flynn merely shrugs and says: "Oh... just... a tourist guide. Y'know, for great vacationing spots? Yeah."

Curioser and curioser.

"O-oh... I didn't take you for the tourist type...", I say truthfully.

Flynn looks up from his book again, and after pausing a little, closes it and puts it next to him as he focuses entirely on our conversation. "Well, kid, in my line of work, you kinda have to travel around a lot."

I can see that, but... "I-I'd think someone in your line of work wouldn't have the chance to relax in those vacationing spots...".

Flynn merely laughs at that. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

A silence falls between us as Flynn rests his chin on his hand, looking pensive as he looks at nothing in particular. Did I make things awkward? I know I shouldn't prod, but I'm curious... why is he looking at tourist spots if he knows he can't enjoy them?

As I shuffle in my seat, I gather up my courage and ask: "So... why? why look at them if you can't...?"

Flynn looks at me, arching an eyebrow as he studies me, probably wondering if he can trust me or not, before sighing. "I guess... I just realized how aimless my life has become..."

This is a surprise. I never expected confident, carefree Flynn Rider to have some self-doubt.

"What... do you mean?", I ask, testing my luck.

"What's it to ya, kid?", he asks with a deadpan look, before sighing, "Look, sorry kid, but I'm not in the mood to spill my feelings, OK? Had enough of that with Punzie...' he trails off.

I nod in understanding. I don't think anyone would spill their insecurities to a stranger that easily... well, anyone but me.

My gaze falls to the book Flynn was reading and I make a connection in my mind. Punzie... Punzel... Rapunzel... Book... spilling feelings?

"Did... Rapunzel... recommend that book to you-"

"Gotta go!", and before I know it, Flynn is making a mad dash to the door with the book on his hand, a flustered look on his face.

Flynn Rider, the Ultimate Thief. A charismatic individual to be sure, but his suave personality and jovial exterior hide something more. I wonder if I'll ever be able to see past his carefree exterior, but I guess a certain blonde has beaten me to it.

* * *

I barely am in my cottage when I hear that familiar buzz from the monitor. Sure enough, Monobear's face is being displayed. Like usual the bear makes the Night Time announcement before wishing us good night. As if anyone would have sweet dreams in a place like this.

I briefly wonder what Monobear is plotting for us before a buzz in my pocket distracts me. I fish out my ElectroID and I find a message from Sandy.

"Jack is awake, but is still very dizzy! Needs a good night's rest! So don't bother him! I'm leaving him, cannot sleep in his cottage, rules!"

I smile at the palpable excitement in Sandy's message. Jack is OK! I sigh in relief before smacking myself mentally. Of course, he would be OK. I was just being a worrywart, like always.

Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy. I send Sandy a brief thanks and good night message before showering. I let the water wash away my worries as I think about my friend. It's such a small thing, but I guess even the slightest positive thing is enough to lift my spirits.

Things are far from OK, but as I finish showering and I dress myself to sleep, I feel hope growing inside me. Tomorrow is going to be a new day. Tomorrow we're going to have our breakthrough, we'll find a way out I'm sure! And Jack will be there.

And for some reason, that helps me ease into a calm sleep.

* * *

**- MONOBEAR THEATER -**

* * *

"Huuuuh? You worship superheroes?"

"Why?"

"Superheroes are special, powerful, good-looking and all around well liked by everyone. They're successful in life and almost always win. They have riches and glory and they always get the girl, save the day and beat the villain. They know nothing about life's ordeals, of the struggles of the loser, of the everyday man and woman who struggle to live by."

"There is no reason to root for those perfect beings! We should root for ourselves, the losers. We should root for the villains!"


	9. 1 - Chapter 1 - Normal Lives D

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - Normal Days D**

**Jack's POV**

Darkness.

It's kinda funny how familiar it has become to me. Darkness surrounds me, myself and my memories or lack of thereof.

However, this darkness I'm currently submerged in is different. Sure, it gives me a sense of unease, but I can feel something else.

In a flash, the darkness around me subsides, only to reveal what I was sensing a few moments ago; pure, unadulterated terror.

In front of my eyes lies a frozen lake. The lake's pristine frozen beauty has been disturbed, the center of it featuring a hole, a crack. No matter how much I try, I can't peel my eyes off from it and yet looking at this hole fills me with such dread, such fear. I know. There's something in there, something I feel I'm forgetting. Something I don't want to remember. Because not knowing is better. And yet...

And yet... I... cannot ignore. Ignorance cannot give me bliss. And even still, I cannot remember! Cannot remember what... who fell through the ice...! An abstract, unknown fear... fear of something lost... an abstract kind of feel.

The scene shifts and the lake moves away from me, and despite how much I try to chase after it, my limbs don't respond. Why? Why can't I move?! And why am I trying to chase after something that fills me with fear?!

A few moments pass and I find myself running. But I'm not running in a carefree manner, like when I'm playing around with my sister... no, this run... I can feel the tension, the adrenaline running trough my body. I'm running for my life. Why?

The scene becomes clearer. I'm running through a street in a city. The street is a mess, cracked and singed, the pieces of loose concrete embeding themselves on my bare feet and yet the pain is barely recognized in my mind, for I can't, WON'T, stop running. There's cars tipped over and crashed, most of them empty from those that managed to escape, some of them still housing unfortunate souls who couldn't. But escape from who? The same thing I'm running from?

A loud explosion behind me spurns me to run faster. All around me, skyscrapers and building are catching fire, collapsing onto themselves. I do not stop to look at them. There is nothing to be done for them.

Where am I running to? Is there any place safe in this hell? There must be... It's just a few paces away... what is a few paces away?

I become conscious of the fact that I'm not running alone when I hear something... someone... fall behind me with a gasp. I turn around to see a small boy, no, teen, lying on the ground, trying to get up. His auburn mop of a hair barely conceals his face as he gets up, his green, forest like eyes full of fear, freckles barely visible under the soot on his face. He's obviously tired, sweat running down his face.

"Jack... I'm not gonna make it...", he says, his face devoid of hope.

At that, I snap. No. He's gonna survive. He HAS to survive. He's the last thing I have. He... is the most important thing in my life right now. He has to survive!

'C'mon Hiccup! We're almost there, just a little more!". I try to encourage him, but its mostly me trying to convince myself.

Hiccup just shakes his head, his eyes dull, devoid of any life."No... I, Jack... I'm just going to slow you down... save yourself, please."

Absolutely not. I'm tired... tired of what? I just know I can't lose him. Lose anyone. Not anymore. I grab his hand and force him to run with me, though I can tell from his labored breathing that he won't last long. A few moments pass and after running up a hill, I see it. The last safe haven in this mad world; Hope's Peak Academy.

Hiccup and I share a hopeful smile. We're gonna survive. We just have to run and reach it and we'll be safe!

A roar snaps us out of our contentment and we make a run for it. I can see the doors now, and I can see some people waiting for us, to welcome us inside!

Everything goes wrong. An earthquake knocks us all to our feet. As I lift my face to get a better view at the school, I can see the figure of Monobear, however, he now easily dwarfs the school. He lifts an enormous black paw and with great force, he smashes Hope's Peak Academy. Debris falls upon us and I can feel Hiccup being grabbed from my grasp, his terrified screams making my heart ache. Before I can do anything, darkness surrounds me once again and the accursed laugh of the Headmaster surrounds me, refusing to let go.

I wake up with a start, screaming and bathed in sweat.

It takes me a few minutes to compose myself, to notice that I'm in my cottage. A dream? No, more like a nightmare. And yet it felt so real...

A tap on my shoulders startles me, but I calm myself when I notice it's Sandy, his smile calm despite me probably scaring the lights out of him with my scream.

It is then that I realize that I have no idea how I ended up here.

"Uh... Sandy... how did I...?", I prod, but before I can finish, Sandy's already written out his response on his sketchbook.

"You passed out after sparring and we brought you here to rest.", he writes, with a smile.

Wow, talk about making a fool of myself.

Before I can speak, Sandy's already writing out another query.

"Are you alright? Wanna talk about?", he asks, his brow furrowed in obvious worry.

Am I alright? Truth be told, I am not. Do I want to talk about it? I don't know... but then again, Sandy is the Ultimate Dream Interpreter... and I do like him.

I tell everything about my dream to Sandy, who listens without interrupting, his gaze focused entirely on me. He only nods and writes stuff down on his sketchbook. As I finish telling him about it, and after pausing a bit so I can catch my breath, I ask him: "So... what do you think?"

Sandy purses his lips, deep in thought, before writing down something on his sketchbook, before showing it to me.

"It seems to me like your harboring a troubled past. A memory you're not happy with. A memory you hate so much that you forced yourself to forget."

He changes pages and writes out more.

"But even though you consciously don't remember it, your subconscious does. Hence the nightmare. I am not sure if the contents of your nightmare have to do with the memory itself, but the unifying theme of your dream makes the nature of your memory clear to me."

I look at Sandy with confusion. "What do you mean 'theme'?"

Sandy smiles warmly, before writing down his response.

"It's loss, Jack. You're afraid of losing people. Your lost memory may have to do with it, hence why you're afraid of losing anyone."

I... guess its true... even now, I'm afraid of losing myself with my memory loss and... I'm afraid of losing Hiccup. Is that why he appeared in my dream? But I can't help but think there's something more to that nightmare... it felt so real...

I sigh. "What should I do, Sandy?"

Sandy closes his eyes, deep in thought, before diving once again into his sketchbook. His response can be seen.

"In the end, it will be up to you, Jack. When you finally remember, you'll have to come to terms with the memory, and face your fear. Only then, will you be able to put that behind you."

"But, rest assured." he continues, with a bright smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes, "You will not be alone. I'll be here for you to help you with that. I'm sure Hiccup will help you too."

At that, my face heats up a bit. "Wh-what do you mean by th-", but he interrupts me with a wave of his hand, laughing silently. His sketchbook reads: "I'm mute, not blind, Jack. I can see you both are very close, 4 days of knowing each other notwithstanding. I'm glad you found a friend. It makes this situation more bearable."

He smiles at me again before bringing out his ElectroID, typing out a message. His sketchbook once again displays more of his words. "I just told him you're awake but that you need to rest. I'm sure that will ease his worries a bit."

Of course. I'm sure that dork is worrying himself to death, thinking it was his fault.

"I must be going. Can't sleep here or else the Headmaster will throw a fit.", the sketchbook display once again and Sandy makes to leave.

Before he can leave, I call out to him, "Uh, Sandy!", he turns around to see me , a quizzical look on his face. "Thanks, for everything. Really.", I say, grinning sincerely. Sandy returns the favor and leaves with a bow.

As he leaves, I set myself down on my bed again, much more at ease. Sure, I'm still worried about everything that is me and my memory and learning that I have a troubled past isn't certainly reassuring... but what is reassuring is the fact that I'm not alone in this. That I have friends who will support me... yes, I'm sure they will. Especially he. That little Viking might act tough but I can see his caring nature. I truly am grateful that he talked to me back then.

Yes, just the fact that I have friends now fills me with hope. And its in this state of reassuring hope that I drift back to sleep, this time without any afflicting nightmares.

* * *

**Phew. **

**Character building is exhausting, but we're getting there.**

**As usual, reviews are welcome. Until next time!**


	10. 1 - Chapter 1 - Normal Lives E

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - Normal Days E**

* * *

**Woo! It's been a while, hasn't it? So sorry about that. I guess you guys will forgive me with this? Another double update, yessir!**

**And this one is extra large, to boot! Though after reading this... you may end up hating me? I dunno, but hey! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Hiccup's POV  
**

Thump.

I hear something in my sleep, distant, but noticeable. I try to ignore it though, since this is the first time in days that I've had a good night's rest.

Thump. Thump.

Whatever that noise is, its coming from above me. Is it Monobear? But why would he resort to doing this when his morning announcements are far more noisy and effective?

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Still... this sound... is familiar. I've heard this sound, yes... I know who makes this sound... there's only one being in existence who wakes me up this way... that scaly bud of min-

With a start, I open my eyes and I sit up in my bed, waiting for the sound again. I wasn't dreaming, was I? C-could it be...? Is it really...?!

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Toothless!", I shout, realization dawning on me, excitement filling my body. With a swiftness I didn't know I had in me, I put on a green t-shirt with Hope's Peak Academy's logo (it was either that or one with Monobear's face), some skinny jeans and my shoes and I exit my cottage. I feel a giant smile on my face as I look at the roof of my cottage, trying to see the familiar figure of my dragon friend.

It happens so quickly that I barely have time to react. I'm knocked down by a black figure from above, but I'm not afraid, because a few moments later I can feel the snout of my friend, nuzzling me, followed by that giant tongue of his, bathing me in saliva that doesn't wash out. But I can't even be mad, not even at the dragon breath that is assaulting my nostrils. Because Toothless, my friend, my bud... is here! He's back and he's OK!

"I... missed you, too bud!", I manage to say between laughs and his assaults of affection. He can't talk but I can sense he missed me too. I can see it on his big, green eyes, full of emotion, of happiness. And that's how I feel too. Happy. Relieved. I get up from the floor and I give Toothless a big hug. I... really... really missed him so much. There are no words that can truly express that. And there's no need for such words either, as we stay like that, me giving him a hug, afraid that if I let go he will vanish... and him just staying still, purring and resting his head on my tiny shoulder.

"Am I... interrupting something?"

A familiar, deep voice interrupts the moment, but the smile in my face doesn't falter. I turn around, and sure enough, Jack is standing there, smiling but noticeably nervous, his eyes darting between me and Toothless.

He's OK. Toothless is OK. These facts being true fill me with such relief. But I guess this isn't the time.

I can feel Toothless stiffening and growling, and I can see Jack is about ready to bolt. Right, I should... introduce these two.

I put myself in between them and I take a deep breath. Right, I can do this.

I put a hand on Toothless' snout and I keep eye contact, trying to gauge my bud's feelings by looking at them. I can see distrust, as he eyes this stranger. "It's alright bud. Easy... he's a friend." I say in a soothing voice, rubbing Toothless's head. I can see my bud's eyes moving between me and Jack, those green, expressive orbs of his, and after processing my words, I can see his pupils dilate a bit. Good, he's still wary but now he's willing to listen. Toothless's stance is less tense too. So far, so good...

I move towards Jack now, who's face is a weird mixture of fear and awe and I only slightly hesitate a bit before grabbing his wrist. At this, he looks at me with a bit of panic in his face, realizing what I'm going to do.

"Uh... Hic... I-I'm not so sure I want to-"

I snort at the quivering in his voice, "Relax, you big baby. Toothless is totally harmless!"

He scowls as I slowly pull him towards my bud, who's eyeing us curiously. "There's nothing harmless about a flying, fire-breathing lizard..."

I roll my eyes. "Dragons aren't just flying, fire-breathing lizards, Jack." We're near Toothless now, and I stop a few paces away from him, moving away from Jack just a little. "Dragons are smart. They can understand you. Which is why the first step to befriending a dragon is showing it that they can trust you."

I can see the doubt in Jack's face, eyeing my Night Fury friend with fear. "A-are you sure I'll be OK?"

I nod at him. "I'm definitely sure. Now...", I once again grab Jack's wrist and move it slowly towards Toothless' snout, "Relax. Don't be afraid. Approach him slowly. He'll accept you if you do as I tell you."

Despite what I'm saying, the atmosphere is tense. This is a very important moment, and while I truly wish for Toothless and Jack to be friends, its all up to them. I watch closely as Jack closes the distance slowly, gulping so hard that his Adam's apple visibly bobbles. He's a few inches away from touching Toothless before he stops for a bit, sighing deeply, and then he closes his eyes before proceeding, looking visibly more calmer. I nod mostly to myself, remembering that I did the same thing back when I met Toothless.

Said dragon is merely staring at Jack without moving, though I can tell Toothless already trusts Jack. How can I tell? Well, Toothless just rolled his eyes at me after Jack closed his eyes. Yep, I did say this dragon had an attitude, but his heart is in the right place. I think he trusted Jack already back when I said that he was a friend, but I suppose Toothless just wanted to put the white haired idiot through this small test. Typical Toothless.

I shake my head at my bud, in clear disapproval and he just snorts before turning back to Jack, eyeing the whitette's outstretched hand. Toothless looks at it for a few seconds before he closes the distance himself, bringing his snout towards Jack's hand, who visibly flinches. Opening his eyes slowly, Jack gasps a little, before smiling at the fact that a dragon has accepted him and Gods, his smile is so bright and full of genuine happiness. With more confidence, Jack proceeds to pet Toothless in the head, who purrs back in contentment, and while he does so he slowly looks at the dragon in front of him, his blue eyes glittering with wonder.

He looks over to me, his face alight with happiness, before saying in a breathless voice, "Hic, this is amazing.", he turns his attention to Toothless before saying, "He's amazing."

I silently agree. If it weren't for Toothless... I'd probably be a different person than who I am today, for the worse. Saying he's amazing is nothing but short of the truth. I walk towards them and I also start petting my bud, whose purrs just get louder.

"Don't tell him that too much, though, or else his head will get bigger", I say jokingly. Toothless just looks at me with the dragon equivalent of a deadpan look before burping in my face. Ah, the wretched, rotting smell of dragon breath... how I missed it. Not.

Jack obviously bursts into a fit of hysterics, leaning on Toothless for support without any fear now. "I-I guess... someone is hungry...!", he manages to say between laughs.

At that, Toothless instantly perks up, his frills standing up with attention. Well, it is time for breakfast, I guess. "Hopefully they serve fish in the morning..." I say as I start scratching Toothless behind his frills.

"Fish?", asks Jack.

"Yeah, Toothless loves it. Can't get enough of it, can you bud?" I say and Toothless just nods his head earnestly, showing that loveable gummy smile of his that earned him his name.

"Well, now I can see why you named him Toothless... not gonna lie, Hic. I was expecting razor sharp teeth." says Jack as he keeps looking at Toothless with wonder and amusement.

"Oh, he has teeth, but they're retractable." I answer before I start walking towards the restaurant, motioning to my bud to follow me, "Now, come on. Everyone's waiting."

At that, Jack's smile drops. "Everyone?", he quickly catches up to me, "You're going to show Toothless to them?"

"They already know about him, Jack. It's better if everyone knows about him now..." at that, I pause. 'Everyone...?', aren't we missing... somebody?

"Hey, Jack... where are Sandy, Merida and Astrid?", I say as we stop just shy of entering the REC area.

Jack snaps his fingers as if he has just remembered something, "Oh, that's right! They didn't send you an IM?", I shake my head in denial. Jack shows me his ElectroID with an IM from Merida.

"Jack, pick up hiccup for us will ya? astrid and i are going to spar for a bit before breakfast so we're gonna have to bail n your plan. sandy will be our ref so hes coming too. take care of hiccup and don't get any funny ideas with him ya hear? ;)"

Oh great. The heat is returning to my cheeks. Thanks, Merida.

"Strange girl, that Mer." says Jack as he pockets his ElectroID hastily after Toothless displays an interest on it. "Really, fighting so early in the morning? Without eating? I don't get those two."

"Y-yeah... you can say that again...". Crud. Did Merida realize I have a slight crush on Jack? Where do I sign up for murder land? I want to be the first.

"Ah well, I'm sure they'll be thrilled to meet Toothless", says Jack with a shrug. "Maybe, if we get lucky, Toothless will eat Snotlout." He says with a mischievous smile.

"Jack, please don't feed trash to my friend", I deadpan.

The Ultimate Mystery just snickers before continuing. "I'm just saying, Hic! I feel good about having a dragon on our side! Hell, I bet we can easily fly over that fence and escape!"

I have to agree, having Toothless on our side is reassuring, at least for me it is. I fondly look at my friend before I notice his crestfallen mood. Why is Toothless sad?

It doesn't take me long to realize why Toothless is sad. Of course, Monobear just wasn't going to give us hope without spreading some despair. He wasn't just going to return Toothless to me in one piece.

I barely can hear Jack asking me what's wrong. I can't formulate an answer, the words just won't come out. A knot in my throat prevents all words from leaving, so I simply point at Toothless' tail.

Toothless' tail is missing a fin. A flash of memory flickers briefly to my eyes; Toothless' tail being bloody and missing a tail fin after crashing through the school walls. Without that fin, Toothless will never be able to fly again.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

I wasn't blind. I'm not sure if people thought of me like this back when I still had a memory, but I like to think I'm not stupid either.

I mean, it was easy to tell that Hiccup had never looked so happy, well, ever! Toothless' return simply brought this... spark to his eyes, the green on them shining brightly! His smiles became more sincere, and his face just was... more bright. None of it was forced... it was fascinating to look at.

Which is why I was so bothered right now, as we ate breakfast with everyone, that Hiccup had returned to the previous forced-smiles-and-optimism mode.

Hiccup's genuine happiness disappeared back then, when he noticed that Toothless was missing something. I... don't understand what that missing tail fin means, but I don't want to ask... the look on Hiccup's face was so unlike anything I had seen before, so at odds with his previous mood, that I didn't have the courage to ask.

It was bothering me that no one else had noticed how Hiccup was acting, but then again, no one but me had seen his genuine side. I did see Sandy looking at him with a probing gaze but he stopped after a while.

Well, I guess I can always ask Hic later. Right now, I'm sure he doesn't want to talk about this in front of everyone.

Speaking of which, I have been neglecting my plate of eggs and bacon. I dig in with gusto and so, breakfast carries out as usual.

Well, not really. Though the restaurant isn't exactly quiet, it is more subdued than yesterday. A sense of gloom floats all over us... and I think I know why.

Suddenly, Nick claps his hands, and as usual, everyone jumps at the call for attention. Nodding once he sees everyone is looking at him, Nick speaks: "Well... there is various things we have to discuss today, so let us start with the first."

Nick starts pacing in circles in his place, his hand rubbing his chin as he speaks: "I realize we have not... been entirely successful in the... 'finding a way out' front..."

"It's been a waste of time", says Snotlout with a glare.

"Yes, well...", says Nick as he silences Snotlout with his hand, "I think we need to change our tactics and search methods. So today we are going to search-"

"Oh, it's no use!", interrupts Fishlegs, whinning. "Let's just accept it, guys! There's no way out! I'm 100% sure Monobear thought about everything!"

"So, what, mate? You suggestin' we give up?", asks Bunny confrontationally.

At that, Fishlegs jumps in his seat, scared, before sighing exasperatedly. "Look! I'm just saying... it's no so bad in here, OK? I... certainly wouldn't mind staying...", says Fishlegs as he trails off, his eyes looking at the floor.

Bunny just looks at Fishlegs, incredulous, before huffing and saying "Fine then! But I ain't giving up, ya hear me? I will keep lookin'! That's what ya wanted to say, right, North?!"

Nick nods in appreciation, but before he can get another word, Anna jumps up from her seat and interrupts, "Don't fight, guys! Everything is going to be OK! I'm sure we will be rescued soon!"

Everyone looks at her now, our attention obviously caught.

"What... do you mean?", asks Pitch.

"Well... it's been almost 4 days since we've been kidnapped, right? Someone is bound to notice, right? So they're probably looking for us! I'm sure the police is gonna find us soon enough!", says Anna with a bright smile on her face.

But before we can any hope from this suggestion, that annoying, boisterous cartoony laugh fills the restaurant once more.

Standing on the table, appearing out of thin air somehow, is Monobear, still laughing. We all jump a bit at his sudden appearance, and I can tell Hiccup isn't happy to see our Headmaster. I am not entirely jolly either.

"The police? Really? Are you trusting those low level goons with your life? They're the first to go down in those action movies for a reason, you know? They're useless!", says Monobear, sneering at Anna, who has a terrified stare as she sinks back to her seat. "Weak! That kind of hope is too weak! You're all so weak and boring, it's driving me to tears!", says the monochromatic bear as he rambles on.

"What do you want?!", shouts Astrid.

At that, Monobear turns to her, his face nonchalant, "Well, I sure could go for a tuna sandwich right now, but that's not why I'm here. I was just going to ask why you haven't killed each other yet. I mean, it's obvious some of you are desperate to escape and yet nothing has happened! To be honest, I'm bored. Despairfuly bored. Utterly so."

At that, we all tense. Is he... trying to goad us to kill? I look at Hiccup from the corner of my eye and I can see he's shaking a little. At that sight, I glare at the Headmaster.

I slowly unclench my jaw and I manage to spit my words at the bear in front of me as angrily as I can: "We will never... kill each other! We have no reason to-"

Monobear interrupts me by pounding a fist on his palm, "Ohhhh So that's it! Man, I feel so silly now... Of course, I was forgetting something!"

Everyone looks at the bear, unsure of what he meant.

"What are you talking about?" asks Tooth, wary.

"Y'know... I was just wondering why no one had killed anyone after I was generous enough to provide a suitable set of characters and a setting befitting of an A+ mystery story... and I've realized I haven't given you a motive for you guys!"

"Rest assured, I'll cook up a nice motive for you guys later! You can look forward to it later today! After all, no one wants to see teenagers living in peace and happiness. So don't worry! The motive I'll give you guys is going to be to kill for. Puhuhuhuhuhu!"

And with that giggle and bleak promise, the Headmaster vanished into thin air, leaving us befuddled and worried.

Flynn breaks the awkward silence, "So, uh... what does he mean by motive...?"

"It is just Monobear trying to scare us." says Nick, dismissing the issue with a wave of his hand, as if he could wave off the whole incident away. But I can't help but feel like there's something else at work here... There's this sinking feeling in my stomach.

"Now then... on the next topic of our discussion...", continues the Ultimate Sculptor, "I know there are lots of... uncertainties in our situation..."

It's true. There are a lot of mysteries... things we don't understand.

Who is Monobear?

Who is controlling him?

What are his goals?

Why us?

Is he really affiliated with Hope's Peak Academy?

What's this place anyway? Where are we?

And then... there's me. Why can't I remember anything? Why only me? There's a lot of things we don't understand about our situation...

"And I also noticed this has been affecting our morale, so to speak...", Nick's voice snaps me out of my reverie, "So...! Tooth here came up with a brilliant idea!", and after saying that, Nick gestures to the Ultimate Dentist to speak.

Tooth is flustered to be the center of attention, but her enthusiasm is still visible. "Well, it's just like North said! I've noticed you guys aren't really cheery right now, and I understand that... especially with that bear... but a high morale is of great importance in these situations so... I've planned an event to cheer us up!"

Everyone is looking at the rainbow-haired girl with interest now. Tooth takes this as a signal to continue. "Everyone is familiar with the lake, right?" a few mumbled 'yeahs' can be heard. "Well, I was thinking... how about we all throw a party at the shore later?"

At this, only silence could be heard. Of course, it didn't last long.

"Wait, what do you mean, 'party?'", asked Hiccup, who spoke up for the first time on the day.

"Well, a party consists of a leisurely reunion where individuals get together to celebrate something usually over food and drink-"

"I know what a party is, Fishlegs." Interrupts Hiccup, shutting the blonde boy's ramble. "What I meant is... why a party of all things?"

At that, Tooth blushes a bit from excitement. "Well, I just thought we needed to unwind, you know? We've been locked up and we've been stressing ourselves a lot so... I just thought a party would be nice."

"I agree with Tooth", I say with a smile. "We all need a break, no? Besides it sounds like fun!". Well, I don't know how parties usually go but this one sounded like fun and I wasn't going to miss this chance to experience one.

"What do yer have in mind, Tooth?" asks Merida, looking actually interested.

"I was planning a normal, swimming party... I actually hoped you guys would help me to come up with some ideas...", said the Ultimate Dentist.

"There's, uh, just one problem... We don't have swimsuits, remember?", said Hiccup with one finger raised.

"You don't have to worry about that. They sell them at the supermarket.", said Astrid as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, though Monobear has questionable fashion sense...", said Rapunzel grumbling.

"I'm suddenly more interested in this party...", said Flynn with a sly smile on his face.

"E-even so-", interjected Hiccup but he was interrupted by the twins.

"Like, we could make fireworks. Y'know. It's not very exciting but we can totally do that.", said Tuff in a disinterested voice.

"We can organize the games and competitions!", said Astrid excited. I shuddered inwardly, remembering their sparring session.

"Hmm... I guess I can sculpt some nice trophies for that... Yes...", said Nick, thinking out loud.

Slowly, but surely, the restaurant was getting filled with excitement at the prospect of the party, everyone coming up with ideas; a water balloon fight hosted by Aster, scary stories by Pitch near the camp fire, even Hiccup agreed to cook hamburgers for us reluctantly, with Anna eagerly providing her assistance.

For some reason, that bothered me a bit... but I was too enveloped in the excitement of the party that I forgot about it.

In the end, we decided to start the party at 4 PM. We all got ready to depart the restaurant in high spirits, with Monobear's threat all but forgotten, when suddenly Hiccup spoke up.

"H-hey, guys... before we leave... I wanted to ask you all something", he said, nervousness obviously filling his words, his hands moving in all directions as he spoke.

"I-I wanted to ask if my bud, Toothless, could come to the party too...", said the Ultimate Lucky Student as he trailed off. Ah, I had forgotten about the dragon entirely! Yeah, he was waiting outside the restaurant but we had to introduce him to all of them sooner or later.

"Toothless? What kind of stupid name is that?", said Snotlout. Man, I really hope Toothless does eat him. And doesn't he realize the irony of his question?

"Well, there's no reason to be nervous about that, Hiccup. Of course your friend can come. Why did you even have to ask?", said Tooth warmly.

"Whoa, hold on a sec.", said Flynn. "We're the only ones here, so who is this 'friend of yours'?"

Hesitation clearly filled Hiccup's face as everyone looked at him expectantly. Finally, the auburn haired viking spoke up. "W-well... he's not actually... human! He's... my friend... dragon... yeah!".

…

…

…

"You're kidding, right?", said Flynn, clearly unconvinced.

"No, wait, but I clearly remember something back then when Monobear first appeared..." said Nick.

"Now that you mention it.." Elsa's voice trailed off.

"So I wasn't dreaming that!? Dragons are real?", asked Fishlegs incredulously

"Of course they are! You saw one and you still doubt it? But more importantly, where is he, Hiccup?", said Merida excited.

"Yeah, its about time you showed him to us.", agreed Astrid.

I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for all the attention the little Viking was receiving so I walked over to stand next to him and gave him a reassuring pat. "C'mon Hic. It's show time."

Hiccup just looked at me with a half-glare, but he smiled nonetheless. Gulping audibly, Hiccup nodded before stepping forward, with me following closely, motioning everyone to follow him. "He's outside... this way... c-come on..."

As expected, everyone's reaction to the dragon was unique. One by one, Hiccup introduced everyone to Toothless, who was incredibly cautious around such a big group of people. But slowly, he befriended everyone and soon enough, they were getting along with the Night Fury just as good.

Well, there were a few who didn't exactly get along with Toothless. Snotlout predictably got bitten by Toothless but even though Hiccup reprimanded the dragon, I could tell he wasn't entirely sorry that the accident happened.

Elsa was incredibly wary of him and refused to even touch the dragon.

Surprisingly, Toothless was afraid of Pitch, but the Ultimate Fear Expert was apparently very fond of the creature.

Astrid and Merida were in absolute love with the creature, petting him and calling it cute names. I also learned that making fun of them because of it was hazardous to my health. Damn... I'm gonna get a bruise in my rib cage...

Sandy and Rapunzel were in awe of the Night Fury, and soon enough they tried to sketch him. Toothless got a kick out of it by posing proudly with his head held high and his chest sticking out.

Nick and Bunny were eyeing the saddle on Toothless and admiring the dragon's wings. When Bunny asked if Hiccup rode Toothless, the Ultimate Lucky Student got visibly sad, saying that he used to do so, but now it was impossible. As he said that, he pointed at the Night Fury's tail and I suddenly understood why Hiccup had gotten sad a few hours ago. Of course he would get sad about this...

Tooth and Anna were also very excited to meet a real, bona fide dragon, and they were very daring around him. Tooth even went as far as putting her hands inside the Night Fury's mouth in order to study his teeth. I laughed out loud when the Night Fury looked at Hiccup as if he was pleading for help.

The twins were obviously delighted at the prospect of a fire breathing creature and when they asked for a demonstration of his fire power, Flynn boldly suggested Snotlout for target practice. Said Ultimate Heavy Lifter ran as he heard the suggestion but incredibly so, Toothless managed to hit him with a small plasma blast, to the delight of the twins. Fishlegs announced impressed that the Night Fury had managed to hit Snotlout at a distance of 100 meters.

After spending a few more moments with the dragon, everyone agreed to let the Night Fury come to the party and everyone disbanded to get ready. I walked over to Hiccup who was smiling as he gave the scaly goof a rub on his chin, and as I leaned on him playfully, I said. "See? They love him. No need to worry."

I almost missed Hiccup's blush when he looked at me and I had to remind myself that the kid, despite being sarcastic, was actually not big on physical contact. But for some reason, I enjoyed seeing that blush. Hiccup shrugged me off and even though his cheeks were red, he managed to roll his eyes and say n that sarcastic nasally voice of his: "Yeah, they love him more than you already."

"Hic, you just keep wounding me. You're such a bully!", I said playfully in retort, falling back into our usual routine.

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

I managed to shake Jack off after convincing him that I was OK and that I had to get ready for the party, and that he needed to get ready as well. Well, he didn't actually get a role but he needed to get a swimsuit and there was no way I was going to help him decide which swimsuit to wear. My mind was already wandering towards dangerous territory and I didn't need the visual aid to fuel my delusional fantasies.

I guess I have resigned myself to the fact that yes, I got a crush on this frosty twig of a person. Way to go, Haddock.

No time for summer romances, though. I had to get ready as well... I needed to get a swimsuit AND the ingredients for making hamburgers. Not only that, I was also wary of Monobear and his whole 'motive' speech. What did he mean...?

Still, the guys were right. These past days have been absolutely brutal and a party... true, I'm not a party person but this is better than just walking around aimlessly and staying in our cottages.

With Toothless' help, I managed to carry a small refrigerator to my cottage and after that we got all the ingredients and cooking utensils needed for preparing Dad's famous Haddock hamburger recipe. Toothless was actually very eager to help... I guess he really was tired of not being able to move.

My mind once again wandered towards Toothless' missing tail fin and the fact that he wouldn't be able to fly... and I felt cold inside. "A downed dragon is a dead dragon"... those words drifted to my mind. I felt my eyes sting with the feeling of unfairness at Toothless' situation. I knew he loved to fly more than anything and now...

I felt a bump in my back and when I turned around to see who it was, I saw my bud looking at me with a worried expression. Right... this wasn't the time to get moody. Toothless was trying his best to not let this get to him and I wasn't going to be the one that was going to ruin the mood. Besides, there might be a way to fix this... That's right... Toothless had done a lot for me over the years and just giving up on him was not an option... "Perhaps I can... But I need materials..." I mumbled to myself as I started moving towards the supermarket once again, the gears in my mind shifting into overdrive as ideas filled my brain.

It took me another nudge from Toothless to realize that I had walked into the supermarket without seeing where I was going and that I had ended in the shoe aisle. What surprised me, though, was the fact that I wasn't alone. A familiar blonde braid and warrior outfit... Yep, Astrid was here. Toothless' size probably alerted her to our presence, 'cause she noticed us and walked over to us, a relaxed grin on her face.

"Hey, Hiccup. How's the burger preparations going?"

"Oh, I'm done with that. I just need to get my swimsuit.", I said as I eyed a pair of sandals on display.

Astrid simply laughed. "Well, the clothing section is over there, Berkian Warrior. I take it you have no sense of direction?"

I got nailed. "F-for your information, I am actually an accomplished cartographer...! And what is this? I thought the whole Berkian Warrior deal was over...!", I said, gesturing every word with my hands.

"Sure, sure. It's just funny to tease you... Jack was right about that.", said the blonde, waving her hand dismissively. Gods, I'm gonna get even with that guy one day...

"So, what about you, Astrid? Are you done preparing for the party?", I asked, trying to move on.

"Oh yeah. Got that done already. I'm actually looking for shoes.", she said as she tapped her boots with her right hand. "Wearing these every day is kinda tiring so I'm getting something more appropriate for the party."

I nodded. That makes sense. Pulling Toothless away from the leather boots he was smelling, I walked away. "Well, I'll leave you to that... I still need to get a proper attire."

Astrid's voice echoed down the halls as she shouted at me. "Try to not pick something daring or Jack is gonna die!"

Thor Almighty strike me down right now because I'm gonna die from embarrassment. Was I really that obvious? Please don't answer that.

* * *

After finding a pair of green swimming trunks with a dragon print on the left leg (yes I was a dragon fan thoroughly) and a simple white tank top, I returned to my cottage. The day was going by faster than I expected but it was probably because of my excitement. These past days, I had nothing to look forward to, but today was different. Yes, despite my doubts, I was looking towards the party. It was a nice, different feeling, being included into a group of people who weren't going to judge. Back in Berk, parties were full of putting fronts in order to impress my relatives. But here... I could discard that facade and be myself.

I felt free.

Well, as free as you can be in a prison wardened by a robotic bear, but you know what I meant.

Toothless slept in a corner of my cottage peacefully. I was surprised he actually fit through all the doors in this place, as if they were designed with him in mind... Strange...

My hand picked up my swimming trunks from my bed, along with the tank top. It was time for the party and I had to change. Walking over to the bathroom, I changed way faster than normal and as I was about to leave, I caught the design of the dragon on my trunks on the bathroom mirror and I had to gasp.

The dragon on my trunks was a Terrible Terror. An actual dragon species.

"But... how...?"

What I was seeing was impossible. No one knew dragons existed. It was a secret of Berk. So how... did Monobear get these trunks' design?

Just... who is Monobear?

* * *

The walk towards the lake was quiet, my excitement concealed under what I hoped was a poker face. For some reason, I still feared to show how happy I truly was. Well, the reason wasn't that much of a mystery; I was too self-conscious of my face... and apparently my smiles had the tendency of showing my crooked teeth and yeah... I didn't want anyone to see that. I was already not pleasant to look at to begin with...

A creak on my left snapped me out of my self-deprecative tirade. Toothless totally lunged ahead of me, pulling the cooler where all the cooking ingredients and utensils were stored behind himself. The big goof was bouncing excitedly at the sight of the lake, and I had to rush towards him to unclip the cooler from his saddle before the dragon decided to plunge into the water, food be damned.

I smiled as Toothless jumped into the lake, his green eyes shining with excitement and his tongue hanging out of a corner of his mouth before the Night Fury decided to explore the depths of the lake.

"Looks like someone is excited"

I had to jump at the silky, smooth voice of Peter came behind me. The Ultimate Fear Expert was wearing the same clothes he wore every day. Odd... he wasn't going to swim?

"Y-yeah... he likes the water as much as he like flying...", I said, stuttering. Truth be told, I still wasn't comfortable with Peter. His presence and probing gaze gave me chills.

"I see", was all he said before moving away from me. I could still feel his gaze from under the shadow of the tree he was sitting on, though, as I set up the grill and the ingredients on the folding table I had brought. Man, such a cheery atmosphere. I dunno about you, but having a creepy guy like him staring at you was definitely not my definition of fun.

"Already setting up everything Hiccup? Nice!", said North in that booming voice of his. Surprisingly, he was wearing diving suit, though the red color of it wasn't that surprising.

"Nice to see someone here is responsible enough...", said Aster, his gray tank top and white swimming trunks matching his silver hair.

"Ohh! You look adorable Hiccup!", said Tooth, her rainbow-like hair noticeable pushing her way inbetween the two males, wearing an equally colorful onepiece and...

"You brought your labcoat...?", I asked, obviously shocked.

"She wouldn't take it off no matter what...", said Aster while he shook his head. "Hope she enjoys baking herself to a crisp in this heat..."

The Ultimate Survivalist got silenced by an elbow to the stomach courtesy of Tooth, who pouted as she said "Well, a dentist has to look her part, so the labcoat is staying!"

"Oy... this is supposed to be a party...", said North under a mumbled breath. And I smiled at them as I turned on the grill. They make their way to the water and I can hear their laughs and shrieks as they join Toothless by the lake.

Soon enough, everyone else joins in. Snotlout once again under siege by a combined attack of water guns by Flynn, the Twins and Jack. Rapunzel, Elsa and Anna are not far behind, and though they're reprimanding the boys, their telling smiles show otherwise.

The last to arrive are Astrid, Merida, Sandy and Fishlegs. They arrive carrying a bunch of toys; balls, pool noodles, and... were those MORE bamboo swords? Yeah, I'm not participating in any of those activities now.

As soon as everyone's here, the mood got livelier with the mixed laughs of teenagers and the happy roars of a certain Night Fury as they splashed around in the water. Soon enough, Astrid and Merida rallied everyone around them and started the games planned for the party.

I didn't join the others, and I was OK with that. I liked watching people have fun, which was the main reason I opted to stay behind cooking. I also quite liked cooking so it was a win-win for me. Anna had volunteered to help me but I guess she got caught up in the excitement and she was forcing Elsa to join the fun and take her out of her reserved shell, so I didn't actually mind.

Of course, Jack was beyond himself, participating in all the competitions that the girls hosted, bouncing with energy and never slowing down. Be it water balloon fights, racing, scavenger hunting and three-foot racing, the Ultimate Mystery's smile never failed to appear even if he lost the competitions. Still, by the end, he managed to earn 3 of North's beautifully crafted medallions and he certainly wasn't above boasting his achievements proudly, earning some laughs and head shakes at his antics.

And so, the evening passed. Jokes and a good mood ruled the day. My hamburgers got passed around and as I sat down on the rocky shore to eat my share and give Toothless his plate, I got congratulated for my food. ("Very nice, mate", "This ain't half bad...", "Simply sublime" were some of the compliments I got)

"Seriously, Hic, these are damn good!", said Jack as he sat next to me, his face stuffed with the burger.

I blushed at the compliment, but I had an image to maintain, "Don't talk with your mouth full, Jack."

"No, seriously, Hic. These... are amazing! I've never had a burger as good as this one!", he said as he took another bite. "This is the best way to end the afternoon."

I didn't know what to say. Jack's sincere feelings left me speechless. Sure, some may say that wearing your heart on your sleeve was foolish but I found Jack's honesty refreshing.

"Thank you." was all I could say.

"Who said the afternoon was over, Overland?", said Merida as she ran towards the lake. "We're going to swim 'till we drop!"

Soon enough everyone but Toothless, Jack and I ran towards the lake, Fishlegs' protests of "Guys, we need to digest our food before swimming!" unheard. Toothless simply curled himself around me to sleep.

Jack removed his tanktop and Odin's ghost, why did I have to look? OK, he was pale and gangly, and sure he wasn't ripped or anything, but his body still had defined, lean muscles, proof of an active life-style. I had to mentally slap myself for this slip up. Now I wasn't going to be able to resist sketching this white haired idiot in his blue swimming trunks.

At this point, I think the biggest idiot is me.

It took me a few seconds to realize that Jack was still next to me, eyeing the swimming group with a sad look. Odd...

"Jack, is there something wrong?", I asked.

The white haired teen rubbed the back of his head, hesitant, before he let out a big sigh. He turned to see me, his face red with embarrassment.

"Hic... I... don't know how to swim."

* * *

**Jack's POV**

I don't know why I was so embarrassed right now.

All things considered, I had done things today that were far more embarrassment-worthy (I swear to god that water balloon wasn't meant to hit Aster THAT hard), but admitting this to Hic was... pretty hard.

Sure, I had played on water all day long, but never IN water. I only splashed around the edge of the lake, but never inside of it. I really didn't know how to swim.

Hic just kept looking at me with a confused look. I'm sure he found it odd... and I guess I feared the fact that he would be disappointed in me, even though that thought didn't make sense. Hiccup wasn't like that, but still, I felt the need to impress him.

Hic's sigh caught me by surprise, but what caught me more by surprise was the fact that he stood up and removed his tank top.

Freckles. They were not only on his face but also on his arms, hands and chest. Dots upon tiny dots. All over his small, lithe but still a little defined frame. But what caught my attention were the scars. I vaguely recognized the spidery tendrils etched on his chest as lightning scars... just what kind of life did this Viking lead? A cough from Hic made me aware that I had been gawking at him, and the boy was blushing furiously, obviously self-conscious. I looked away, suddenly aware of the fact that I was blushing too. What the hell, Jack? Don't be weird.

"S-so... swimming! I was thinking... y'know... how about... I teach you?" said Hic stammering, obviously trying to erase that awkward movement between us.

"You, teach me?", I asked dumbfounded. So that's why he had removed his tank top and put himself in this uncomfortable situation. To teach me...

"Yeah... I'm not half-bad at it, so I can teach you the basics if you want...", he said shrugging.

I almost wanted to hug him for that. But I was aware that doing so would likely kill the kid on the spot from embarrassment so I simply walked next to him and put a reassuring hand on his small, freckled shoulder. "I would love that. Really."

I simply had to smile at the astonished look on the Ultimate Lucky Student face as it slowly melted into an embarrassed, crooked grin.

"Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurl."

We both jumped at the familiar, odious, cartoony voice, Toothless growling menacingly at the Headmaster who had decided to appear just now.

"I can't believe I had to watch all of this. This is seriously the worst. If this were an anime it would probably be one of those lame Beach Episodes and this would be the moment were the guy and the girl kiss passionately and then they do this and that... and then he puts that in and she..." rambled the bear.

I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment and anger. Monobear just had to ruin our fun. "What do YOU want?", I spat.

"Um... I just wanted to remind you guys that while I understand you guys are healthy teens with cravings and such... This place is strictly PG-13! So I will not tolerate unscrupulous behavior in my Camp! I know these kinds of stories are rated M but we can't pressure the writers into doing something they aren't comfortable with, understand?"

No, I didn't understand half of the things the bear was saying.

"What do you mean-", asked Hiccup before being interrupted by the Headmaster once more.

"Look, all I'm saying is that I'm OK with passionate kisses between lovers but if things go farther than touchy feely moments, I will punish you guys OK? That's a new rule I put up to protect you guys."

Sure enough, a faint buzz on my trunks alerted me to the new rule.

-Any kind of extremely intimate or perverted activity will be met with deathly punishment. Let's live a pure, fun life in harmony.

...Just how are we going to explain this to the others...? I wasn't looking forward to THAY conversation. And by the looks of it, neither was Hic, who put tomatoes to shame as he blushed a bright red. Before we could tell Monobear to leave us alone, we were joined by the others, obviously alerted by their ElectroIDs which surprisingly still worked despite them being soaked.

"What do YOU want?", asked Merida with a scowl.

"Can't you see we're, like, having fun?" said Tuff. "Without you", added Ruff.

Monobear's face dropped, "Yeah. I can see that, and it's not fair, y'know? Excluding your Headmaster from your party even after all the trouble I went to set up a fun event for you guys..."

"Event... you say?" asked Pitch.

At that Monobear spun in place. "Yeah, um... remember what I told you guys this morning? I just finished setting it up on the Meeting Grounds so I came to pick you guys up! So go on! Go there! Assistance is mandatory, of course, but I'd be nice if you went there without grumbling! So... see ya there!"

And as usual, Monobear left after saying his piece, not letting us object or comment. A sense of dread filled me. There was no way Monobear's event was going to be 'fun', but we had no choice but to obey. I didn't want to endanger any of us... but still..

"Anything that is mandatory isn't 'fun' at all..." quipped Hic as he put on his tank top again.

"No kidding", agreed Flynn.

"Aw, I wanted to swim more and perhaps find a Merman...", whinned Rapunzel.

"Uh, you do know those aren't real, right?", said Elsa.

"If they're in books, they have to be real, though!", said Rapunzel, who believed everything she read.

"Excuse me, ladies, but I think we have more pressing matters than discussing mythological creatures." interjected Pitch.

I had to agree with that. I'm sure Monobear wouldn't tolerate tardiness, so I put on my tank top and followed everyone else towards the Meeting Spot, a thick silence between us as we readied ourselves for whatever Monobear was plotting.

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

Of all the things that I was expecting to see in the Meeting Spot, a gaudy stage wasn't one of them. Annoyingly bright neon lights which read "750th Annual Monobear Quiz-o-rama!" flashed above the stage, which also had three contestant booths. The most noticeable thing, though was the addition of an ominous machine, colored black, next to the flagpole which housed the camp's flag.

Said machine was in the shape of a bear's head, Monobear's characteristic red eye even painted on it. The most noticeable thing about the machine, though, was a LED display that showed a number slowly decreasing, with another set of numbers underneath those reading: 26 DAYS LEFT.

All in all, like everything in this camp, these things were out of place, and that made this whole thing more unnerving. Our captor didn't care about anything... not about us... certainly... that was the feeling I got from all of this... and that scared me more than anything.

Regardlesss... back to the sign of the stage... a quiz show? Is that what Monobear had planned all day long? Sure, it was unexpected but I thought the damn bear would have planned something more underhanded.

Said bear appeared shortly on stage, wearing a blue formal suit and a red bowtie, a microphone on hand while he waved at us with the other. No one returned the greeting, predictably.

Monobear was obviously displeased at this and he frowned and stomped his feet while he whinned: "Ugh! Why the long faces? I went to the trouble of making this stage and everything and you can't even wave back?!"

No one even bothered to answer; we were all obviously so done with our captor. At the continued silence, the Headmaster just sighed before rambling once again: "I swear, kids these days don't know the wholesome fun that quiz shows provide... I mean, who can resist the drama? The suspense? The prizes?!"

At that, Snotlout spoke up, the prospect of winning at something overpowering his need to shut up and sulk; "What do you mean, prizes?"

"Glad you asked, Snotty!", said Monobear while he pointed at the Ultimate Heavy Lifter, "You see, in these types of shows, three smart contestants will compete answering a series of challenging questions to determine who will win the prize!"

"And what is this prize?", asks Peter.

"Weeeell... you won't know unless you guys participate!", says the Headmaster joyfully.

I have a bad feeling about this... should we even participate? I mean, he did say attending is mandatory but I wonder if we can exploit a loophole and opt out of this...

"C'mooon! I swear on my good name that this is just a simple quiz show with no strings attached. I'm even letting you guys nominate the contestants yourselves...", Monobear is practically begging us to participate... now I'm suspicious... and he did say this was going to be a 'motive', whatever that is... I think we should just leave an-

"I nominate Hiccup! That smarty-pants is probably itching to show off anyways, and being smart is the only good thing he can do!"

Geez, thank you for that glowing review of my person, Snotlout. You sure know how to praise a guy. I calm Toothless down before he takes a bite out of him, but before I can retort and protest, Rapunzel speaks up: "Yeah! Go for it, Hiccup! I'm sure you'll do great!"

"Y-yeah! Show that Monobear who is the... brains of our group!", says Anna, uncharacteristically stuttering as she joins the 'Let's force Hiccup to do a thing he doesn't want to do' bandwagon.

"Listen, I think we should think this through before we decide on anything, OK?", I say, as I try to wiggle my way out of this. I'm not in the mood to deal with Monobear.

"You should just roll with it, ankle-biter." says Aster. "Y'know that damn bear ain't gonna stop pestering us until we participate in his dumb game, so you might as well participate and actually get somethin' out of it, don't ya think?". OK, he has a valid point... but why me? I can't believe he's forcing me to do this...

"Oh? So Hiccy is gonna play? Hmm... I'm not sure he's up to the task, but whatever! Come on the stage and take your place, would ya?", says Monobear as he overhears our conversation.

Grudgingly, I walk over one of the empty contestant booths. I'll show that bear who isn't 'up to the task'... From the stage, I can see Toothless and Jack, who sheepishly gives me a thumbs up and I can't help but smile a bit at the gesture.

"Gross". I hear Monobear say, and I have to glare at the Headmaster. What's his deal?

"Aaaanyway... hurry up and pick the rest of the contestants already!" demands the bear. After a few arguments and excuses, our group settles on Fishlegs (Who is the Ultimate Encyclopedia for a reason), and Jack (Who lost on rock-paper-scissors against Merida when they argued about who should participate). Fishlegs looked like a deer struck by headlights and Jack was practically fuming as he scowled at Merida with his arms crossed. I guess... it could be worse. At the very least, the Twins and Snotlout didn't get picked, but will Jack be OK?

I'm interrupted by Monobear, who finally uses that microphone he was carrying, his amplified voice drowning my thoughts out. "Aaaalrighty! Let's begin the 750th Annual Quiz-o-rama! The rules are simple! Just press the button in your contestant booth after I read to question and answer correctly! If you do well enough, I'll reward you all! So... do your beeeest~"

I have to admit... even though I'm not really playing to win... I'm nervous for some reason. The flashing neon lights don't help either. From the corner of my eye, I can see Fishlegs fidgeting nervously, while Jack is the complete opposite of him, a glint of excitement on his blue eyes visible.

"Ahem! Let's begin with a simple one...", says Monobear as he takes out a card from his suit and begins reading. My hand hovers slightly over the button as he reads: "Question 1! Did you guys know each other before you awoke in Hope's Peak Academy's lobby?"

I press the button before I process the question, so I get the chance to answer, but now that I think about it... that's a strange question... but the answer is obvious, nonetheless. "No. With the exception of Anna and Elsa, we all first met in that room."

A loud buzzer and a flash of red lights sounds above me, and a bucket of water is emptied on me. I can hear a laugh track on the distance. "Oh, I'm sooo sorry Hiccy! That's incorrect! The correct answer was: You guys all know each other rather well!"

Great. I'm soaking wet, humiliated AND confused. What is Monobear getting at? That answer doesn't make any sense! I can see everyone else's confused expression but before I can voice my confusion, Monobear continues.

"Alright! Next Question! Ahem... You guys have been Hope's Peak Academy students for how long now?"

Still confused by the previous question, Fishlegs beats us to the punch and presses the button, looking amazed by the fact that he actually pressed the button.

"Um... I'm 100% sure we haven't been students of Hope's Peak for even a day... But we've been in this camp for 4 days..."

Another loud buzz and Fishlegs is now dripping wet, his blonde hair flattened and covering his eyes.

"Aw, that's wrong, Fishy! You guys have studied in Hope's Peak for years now! OK... next question..."

"Hold on!", I interrupt Monobear. This... doesn't make sense! What is... this dread I'm feeling? "Just... what are you plotting? What do you mean by those answers? This whole thing is... nonsensical!"

"Hiccy, please! Don't interrupt me! It's in bad form!", says Monobear, waggling a finger at me in a disapproving tone, my questions ignored. "Now then... Next question..."

An uncomfortably long silence follows, and that sense of dread in my stomach intensifies when the Headmaster's red eye lights up maliciously. Oh no... that's never a good sign...

A simple sentence. That's all it took to make me question everything.

"Who took your memories of your school life and imprisoned you in this place?"

Dead silence.

No one spoke. Nor moved. All of us were trying to process the simple yet nonsensical string of words we've just heard. 'Take away our memories'?,,, absurd. What does that even mean? How can we even take that sentence seriously? How can we ever answer that?

A buzz breaks the silence. I slowly turn my head to face Jack. He's the one who's pressed the button. His face is even paler than usual, his eyes are wide as plates, the look on them distant. His jaw is clenched tight... Overall, he's the look of apprehension incarnate... And its in that instant that I realize why.

Jack's missing memories.

Monobear's question.

Could it be...?

"Was it... you?", Jack's deep voice is clear on the silence. A green light and a shower of confetti falls on the blue-eyed teen but the mood is anything but celebratory.

"Coooorrect, Frosty! And to think you actually got it right! Puhuhuhu!", says the Headmaster teasingly, but the jab is ignored, as Jack's brow furrow with thought.

Everyone else can't take the confusion any longer. Soon enough, the audience starts bombarding the Headmaster with questions upon questions, trying to make sense out of this nonsense.

"What do you mean by 'you guys knew each other beforehand?'", says Astrid

"What's this about us having attended Hope's Peak for a long time?", shouts Flynn.

"This 'taking our memories' thing is quite frankly, confusing.", says Peter.

The Headmaster, however, appears undaunted by all the questions, and I swear his grin got wider as he lifts a paw to silence everyone and speak.

"Well, you know how its a common plot twist to reveal that all the strangers you've been killing to escape were your friends in reality, but since the Mastermind took your memories of that, you killed them without knowing? Well, I'm tired of that predictable crap, so I decided to come clean about it right here, right now!", said Monobear as if it were the most obvious thing to do.

I hear him saying those words, but I can't believe what I'm hearing. "That's... What...?", I am at a loss for words. Monobear however, continues speaking.

"You have this look of confusion in your face... aren't you supposed to be smart? Puhuhuhu!", he giggles at me, "I mean what I say: You guys aren't strangers to each other at all! You've all been studying in Hope's Peak Academy for years but I took your memories of that time!"

"That's bullshit!", interrupts Snotlout angrily. "I've never seen these guys before all of this happened!"

"He's right, y'know!", says Tuff, "I mean, I've seen Ruff every day of my life but everyone else? Nuh uh."

"Yeah, and attending Hope's Peak Academy for years? We're not exactly the most smart but I doubt we would fail to notice THAT.", says Ruff.

"And all this talk of stealing our memories...", says Tooth, shaking her head, "That's nothing short of impossible."

"Y'know... you guys are fond of that word... 'impossible'...", Monobear speaks as he shows his black side towards us, his red eye shining brightly, "But you only say that because things that aren't supposed to happen are happening, right? So why is it still impossible if it's happening? The truth is, you guys just don't want to admit that the reality you were living in isn't as stable as you thought. But this is your reality now... your new truth. Isn't that so, Jackson?"

We all freeze. Jack is looking at the Headmaster in shock, obviously surprised to be put in the spot like that. He wanted that to be a secret but...

"Wh-what-", the white haired teen starts but is interrupted.

"Aw, come on Jackson! Don't tell me you didn't tell them about how you don't remember anything? Nothing beyond your name... right? And here I thought you trusted these guys as your friends... but it turns out you don't even trust them at all! How terrible!", goads the Headmaster as Jack's face is stricken with guilt.

"S-so... it was you? Were you the one who...?", I interrupt, trying to save Jack from more embarrassment but the bear is upon me instantly.

"Geez, why am I not surprised he told YOU? But yes, I did that... years of heartfelt memories, sad moments, intimate scenes... all gone like a salary check after a barbecue party!"

Anger flared inside me. Why...?! "Why would you do that?", I spat the Headmaster but he ignored me as he turned back to the others and continued to talk at leisure.

"And before you guys start saying 'But we have been here for 4 days only! There's no way we've been attending Hope's Peak for years!'... do you guys really trust your perception of time that much? I mean... don't you guys lose that perception when you lose consciousness? "

At that... memories of my arrival to Hope's Peak and my loss of consciousness come to mind. "Are you saying... that our loss of consciousness was because...?", I ask, short of breath, hoping that I am wrong.

"That's correct! That was the cutoff point, to be precise! That's when your school memories were supposed to be- Happy memories of friendship and even romance! Years of fond moments of comradeship... gone! And you guys are none the wiser! And that's when you realize all that talk of 'bonds are eternal' a phooey! You guys didn't even notice!"

The Headmaster kept taunting us as we all stood there, unable to refute anything he said. This was madness... All of the things Monobear is saying are so unbelievable... and yet, we can't deny those words outright. Saying 'I don't believe it!' doesn't discredit the things he said... which makes this whole thing more frustrating.

"So what...?", Merida's voice is more subdued than normal, even though she's showing a defiant expression towards the Headmaster. "So what if you stole our memories or whatevah! I don't get why you're telling us this crazy stuff!"

"Why, Mermer... that's a good question!", says Monobear to the scowling red head, "This is my bargaining chip!"

With a jump, the black and white bear jumps on Fishlegs' contestant booth, causing the large boy to jump back in fear. "Ahem...", the bear clears his throat, and that sense of dread returns stronger than ever as he speaks. "This is a beary simple offer... to the one who kills first... I'll return to them their school memories... no, all of their memories, if applicable!"

A chill ran through my entire being as I let the words sink in. So that was it... this was his 'motive'. So this... was Monobear's trap...

"It's a pretty good deal if I say so myself... I mean, knowledge is the most important gift, and on top of that you'll get out of here as well! If I were you guys, I'd be stabbing someone already! Ahahaha!"

Without intending to, I had started sweating, the cold drops running down my face. This... wasn't good. Why was I afraid...? No one... no one would kill... for some memories, right...? Instinctively, I turned to see Jack. What I saw left me even more afraid; Jack's normally blue-sapphire like eyes were dull, as if a veil had been put over them; there was no fun, no enjoyment, no life in those eyes. And I hated it, I hated this version of Jack, so at odds with the guy I knew. There was only one word to describe those eyes.

Despair.

I could feel it, that thick cloud descending slowly but surely upon us. Doubt would soon take ahold of us, filling us with 'What ifs?' and distrust.

Monobear's laugh only stoked my anger. Why...? Why was he doing this to us?! Why was so keen on making us suffer? Just to make us 'despair'?! Well, if that's what he wants, then I'm not giving it to him!

"There's... there's no way someone will kill...! No one's going to fall for your tricks!", I shout as defiantly as I can, but the Headmaster barely flinches, instead opting to tilt his head at me in confusion.

"Wow, Hiccy, you almost sounded like a protagonist there. That was such a cool line! Y'know... it's such a shame you trust these guys that much... because I can assure you someone WILL kill."

And even though the night was already going pretty badly, Monobear managed to upset our evening again with another simple string of words.

"As a consolation prize for sucking so much at the quiz show, I guess I can tell you all this: There's a traitor among you guys!"

You could hear a pin drop in the brief silence that followed that sentence.

"What do you mean, traitor?", said North, his loud voice clear and demanding.

"Geez, do I have to define what 'traitor' means too? You guys are truly hopeless!", said Monobear, shaking his head.

"Just tell us already you little bugger!", yelled Aster, clearly exasperated with the bear.

"I already told you, there's a traitor in your midst! An inside agent of mine, observing you guys, faking to be your friend... but he's really working for me!"

As he said those chilling words, Monobear leapt high into the hair and landed softly on Toothless' head, who was trying his best to hold back, remembering what the bear had done to him previously.

"So... if things ever get too boring... BAM! I just have to say the word and he'll kill one of you!"

"That's not true!", cried out Rapunzel, "You're lying! There's... no traitor!"

"You know... traitors always say that...", said Monobear nonchalantly, to which the blonde gasped in response, bringing her hand to her mouth.

"But its no lie. Despite how much you guys have been trying to convince yourselves of this so called trust that exists between you... the truth is, someone is betraying you guys at this very moment! Will you take the risk of trusting someone like that?", Monobear's black side faced us once again as he jumped from Toothless's head to the stage.

"And just so you know, the traitor WILL get their memories back if they kill first. Wouldn't it be just so awful that such a rotten backstabber is going to get their memories back AND get out? Puhuhuhu... yes, very dreadful indeed..."

I had enough. I didn't want to hear anything anymore. The more he spoke, the more the seed of doubt and distrust that I thought I had destroyed grew inside of me. I... didn't want things to go back to how it used to... I wanted those feelings of comradeship we had during the party back...

"No one... is going to kill...", I said, mostly to myself. Because I needed to convince myself of that. Because I... to my disgust, briefly considered the thought. But I'm not... will not ever kill...

"You're in denial, I see. But I'd make a decision fast if I were you, guys! This is a first-come-first-serve kind of deal so if you dillydally, someone is going to beat you to the kill! So hurry up... you don't have much time!", said the Headmaster as he looked at the odd clock-like contraption.

"Now then, this quiz show deal is boring me, so you're dismissed! Let the mutual killing begin! Ahahahaha!"

And just like that, Monobear disappeared his laugh echoing, mocking us as we stood there, unable to come to terms with our situation.

Fishlegs scurried down from the stage and joined the others but neither me and Jack moved. Toothless ran to my side and curled next to me, growling at me worriedly. I appreciated the gesture and scratched behind his frills.

How... did I get into this mess?

"So... what are we going to do?", asked Tooth, obviously nervous.

"Isn't it obvious?", said Snotlout. "We should just sacrifice someone!"

"What?!", said North obviously displeased.

"I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of walking around aimlessly... so here we have a chance to get some info, so I say we take the fucking bear's offer!", said the Ultimate Heavy Lifter.

"Snotlout, are ya even hearing what you're saying?! You're saying we should kill someone! Do you believe Monobear or somethin'!?", shouted Merida, anger tinting her voice as she advanced on the brown haired male.

"Well...! He's never lied to us right?", defended Snotlout.

"He's got a point..."

"Not helping, Fishlegs.", said Astrid.

"I'm just saying! We could get some actual progress here! We just need to off someone weak and uninmportant!", immediately, Snotlout's eyes fell on me. "Like the fishbone!"

Toothless growled upon hearing those words, and Jack's head snapped up so fast I thought he'd dislocate it.

"I mean... he doesn't even have a real talent! He's not important and I'm sure no one is going to miss hi-"

Snotlout never got to finish those words as he was once again in the receiving end of Astrid's fist. The look on her face was one of subdued rage, but her words were clearly full of commanding fury: "Enough. Snotlout. Drop it."

"We're not killing anyone here, OK?! Let us all settle down, yes?", said North, trying to calm us down, but it was useless. Snotlout stood up with an angry huff and shot a venomous look in my direction.

"You better watch your back, fishbone! If I don't get you, I'm sure the traitor will off you first!", and with that, he ran away from the group.

"Shouldn't we stop him?", asked Anna worried.

"And do what? Kill him?", asked Flynn.

"I second that motion.", said Tuffnut. "I third it", added Ruffnut.

"We're not killing anyone, Ok?!" yelled North, silencing everyone. "Monobear is obviously lying! Do not fall for the bear's lies! We will continue to defy him... peacefully! Understood?"

Even though no one spoke back to him, we were far from certain... there was no guarantee that no one had bought Monobear's words. Once again, the feeling of distrust between us destroyed any semblance of comradeship.

All because of the Headmaster.

As everyone excused themselves and disbanded, that wretched feeling of loneliness and fear started to creep in my heart again.

Because... because what Snotlout said was true...

I'm... useless. Nothing special. Even my talent is phony. I'm weak.

Ugly.

Even my own father is ashamed of me.

I can't... even make others feel better. Because I know Jack is suffering more than I am.

And yet... I only care about myself.

I truly... am worthless.

Someone like me... doesn't belong here. Doesn't belong anywhere.

I... would it be... better... if I died? Would I... be more useful that way?

I feel... so cold.

So alone once again... I haven't felt... this alone in years.

I... want to be surrounded by this loneliness once again. Yes... This is what I deserve... someone like me... doesn't deserve anything less..

I start walking mechanically towards the Lodging Area, vaguely noticing Toothless's attempts to comfort me. And another thing to add to the list of things I'm bad at: Shaking off any help I'm offered because of my stupid pride and hurting others in the process.

I don't... deserve Toothless' friendship. I don't... deserve anything. I deserve to shut myself inside my cottage and... never show my face again.

I keep walking towards my cottage when a strong grip on my wrist stops me cold.

...So... this is how I die, huh... I guess it's... for the best... I close my eyes as I resign myself to this... not caring who is going to kill me.

"Hic... Hiccup..."

Jack's deep voice makes me open my eyes, but I... don't want to face him. Guilt fills me as I recall how I just... walked away from him instead of trying to comfort him. Hah... I truly am terrible...

"Hiccup... please..."

Jack's begging voice starts to break my resolve. Why... is he...?

"Please talk to me, Hic..."

What... do you want me to say? Anything I say will be worthless... just like I am...

"I'm... scared, Hic..."

At that, I turn around. Jack's pale frame is shaking, and he's looking at the ground.

"I'm scared, Hiccup... please... I... I don't want to be alone..."

"I feel so empty... I feel like I have nothing, that I don't exist... and when I dwell on that loneliness... these thoughts... I don't want to think like that...! So please... Hic...! Talk to me, do that sarcasm of yours... do anything!", Jack's voice is desperate by this point and I'm so taken aback that words fail me.

He... really is suffering.

I thought I understood him, but I didn't. His memory loss goes beyond what I thought. And I'm seeing it in front of me. Not having anything to relate to, to refer to... not having any assurance that the you that exists right now is the real you...

With a burst of courage, I pull Jack towards me and hug him.

It's an awkward embrace, since he's taller than me, but I try to convey my feelings as good as I can; that he exists right here, and right now. That he's important to me, the Jack that he is right now and no other Jack.

He tenses upon being hugged but he returns to gesture fast, holding on to me strongly. We stay like this for a few minutes, but I don't mind. Because I think... we both needed this. No words are exchanged. The embrace tells all; fears, doubts... and warmth.

"Thank you, Hic.", he says quietly in my ear, still hugging me.

"That's what friends are for", I answer.

He hums quietly but makes no remark, and instead he tightens the hug for a moment before slowly letting go. I can't help but feel bad that, but I feel much, much better now. Even though my crush will always be unrequited, I got to hug this dork, who looks so content now.

And that sheepish grin of his, full of happiness... well... it certainly made me forget about our situation for a bit.

Suddenly, a blush creeps on Jack's face and he coughs awkwardly before looking away. What...? Did he get bothered by my actions? But he thanked me... didn't he?

"I-I won't tell anyone... don't worry...", I say, trying to calm him down, but he instead looks at me with a questioning look.

"What?"

"Th-that I hugged you... err... I understand if it embarrassed you... so I won't tell...", I say as I move my hands around.

"I'm not embarrassed by that...!", he says a little more loudly, and upon noticing this, he blushes even more.

"Then why did you...?"

"It's nothing...!"

He keeps looking away from me... and though I'm curious about what really is on his mind... I won't pressure him. I'm glad... we're acting like we always do once again. I don't want to ruin that.

We say our good-byes as we reach our cottages, though Jack still looks a bit hesitant as he enters his. I try to not dwell to much on that, though, as I ready myself for bed.

I guess... I'm good at something, after all.

As I curl myself on Toothless' sleeping form on my cottage's floor to draw some more, my thoughts wander to that hug. Typical of me to make a mountain out of a molehill... it was just a hug. Nothing more.

After catching myself drawing the whitette once more, I close my sketchbook and I drop myself into my bed, the faint sound of rain hitting the roof of my cottage filling the background.

After such an exhausting day, the rhythmic sound of rain helps me ease into a sound sleep long before Monobear's Night Time announcement can be heard.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

Gods Jack, what's wrong with you?!

Why did that memory have to return just as you hugged your boyfrien- friend! Friend! Hiccup's just a very good friend!

"My mind is playing tricks on me", I mutter to myself.

Yes, that's it... I'm sure that memory of me holding his hand and hugging and kissing... was just a confused thought because of the moment!

Yes... that was a false memory... it wasn't even a memory! It was a delusional thought, right...?

Right...

...Then why... do I feel like I don't want it to be a delusional thought...?

**-MONOBEAR THEATER-**

"Have you ever said something you regretted? Surprisingly, I have!"

"For example... take this! Back at the zoo I lived in, I had two good friends. A fox named Carl and a squirrel named Sir Earlhart. To be frank, Carl was very stupid, and Earlhart took advantage of him every day. If Earlhart said something, Carl would do it. If Earlhart said something, no matter how ridiculous, Carl would believe it. He wad quite gullible.

In any case, long story short, one day I made an offhand comment. 'Did you know foxes are the natural predators of squirrels?'

Needless to say, Carl devoured Earlhart on the spot. The zookeepers had to put Carl down because of this, too.

And that's how my words robbed me of my friends. Please be careful about what you say."


	11. 1 - Chapter 1 - Normal Lives F

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - Normal Days F**

**Jack's POV**

I didn't have a good night sleep at all, but that was to be expected. After everything that happened yesterday, it was a surprise that I even fell asleep. Ever since that fake quiz show, my mind has been plagued by unpleasant thoughts.

And some of them were related to a certain Viking.

What was that memory? Was it even a memory? Was it a prank of my subconscious? But then... what did that say about me?

Did I... want that memory... if it even is a memory... to be true?

I talked to Sandy through IM for a few hours yesterday, hoping to get some answers... and even though nothing concrete came out of that conversation, I did manage to learn some things from the Ultimate Dream Interpreter.

The first thing was that the blonde haired boy loved to tease me about my confusion. All of his messages ended with winky faces and if it weren't for the fact that I liked Sandy and that I needed his help, I would've shut him off.

The second thing was far more helpful. Even though he couldn't really tell me if my memory was real or not (Even I wasn't sure about that), he did theorize that certain actions will trigger specific memories... and so far it made sense. All of the memories I've gotten back came back to me after I did something with Hiccup.

So... was that a real memory then?

And thus, I struggled through the night with these thoughts. If only I could confirm these things by myself.

Briefly, Monobear's offer flashed on my mind, but I dismissed the thought instantly.

I... had considered it, though. And that was scary. I truly considered taking a life however briefly, and that repulsed me. Even if Monobear did take my memories away, I wouldn't be able to force myself to kill...

Death wasn't right. And killing? Even less so.

That... was... something I couldn't abide with. I would find another way to get my memories back... yes, I'll just keep doing what I've been doing until now: Hang around Hic.

Suddenly, a vision of he and I holding hands flashes in my mind, and I feel apprehension in my heart. Or... is it nervousness?

This... isn't going to be easy... right?

How do I even... proceed? If these random flashes of memory keep happening whenever I'm around Hiccup... will I be able to act as if nothing happened? Maybe he will notice? Hiccup is smart, after all. He will notice if I start acting up in front of him?

Should I avoid him, then? ...No, that'd be running away from the problem... plus... he'd surely get the wrong idea and I would end up hurting him... and I don't want that.

...Gah! Why is this so complicated?! I JUST want to be his friend! Right?!

...Right... yeah, just friends... I only want that...

Then why do I... don't believe that?

* * *

Monobear's morning announcement came and I hastily left my cottage. The morning air was cool and the camp grounds were wet due to rain. Reluctantly, I put on some shoes. Hiccup would surely throw a fit if I walked barefooted in the mud.

Speaking of that Viking, it's about time we pick him up.

"Yo, Jack."

I turn around at the greeting. I see Merida waving at me, and though she's smiling, I can see there's something in her mind because of the look on her face.

"Sup, Mer?"

"Stop calling me that, Jack!", she threatens.

"Make me!", I say as I stick my tongue out, barely avoiding the swing she took at me. She chases me around, shouting obscenities all the while, but I manage to run circles around her. One thing I learned is that I'm a pretty good runner, so why shouldn't I use that for my advantage?

"When I get my hands on you...!", says Merida, panting a few feet away from me.

"In your dreams!", I taunt. I'm gonna get it later, but I'm savoring my victory right now.

"Looks like someone is full of energy this morning."

We all turn to see Astrid slowly approaching us, a smirk on her face.

"Sure am, miss-Ow!", My greeting gets interrupted by a punch on my arm, courtesy of Merida, who grins triumphantly as I rub my arm. Such a sore loser...!

"I can see that. Are we going to pick up Hiccup?", asks Astrid, laughing in-between at my pain.

"Yeah! We just need to wake up the sleeping beaut-", and that's all I manage to say before I'm pushed to the ground and I'm assaulted by a giant pink tongue and a familiar dragon breath.

"There's no need for that. You guys are the perfect alarm clock, y'know?"

The familiar, sarcastic nasally voice of his makes me happier than I dare to admit. Toothless gets off me and runs back to his auburn haired friend, who places a small hand on the dragon's head.

"Well, good morning to you too.", I retort as I try to get the saliva out of my hoodie, without much success.

"It doesn't watch out, just so you know.", says Hiccup as he smiles at my vain attempts. I have to groan at that. I love this hoodie!

"Well, the saliva actually helps his looks.", says Merida, to which everyone else laughs.

"Thanks, Mer.", I deadpan. What a nice way to start the morning...

...Though I'd rather start my mornings like this... with laughter and friends. Yes, this guys are my friends... despite everything that happened yesterday. Despite what Monobear said about me... these guys aren't judging me or condeming me. Yeah... starting every day just like this... I wouldn't mind that...

"Say... aren't we missing someone?", says Hiccup as he looks around.

Now that you mention it...

"Ya... hey, where's Sandy?", asks Merida, mimicking Hiccup.

"I haven't seen him since yesterday...", says Astrid.

A sense of dread fills me suddenly.

Nah... I'm... overthinking this... I mean. I talked to him yesterday! So... he must be late... just a little behind schedule, yes...

"Are those... mud tracks?", asks Hiccup as he points out to a set of footprints leaving a cottage towards the Meeting Spot.

My heart sinks as I see the cottage. I fumble for my ElectroID and a look at the map confirms my fears.

Sandy's cottage.

I barely hear my friend's voice as I sprint away towards the Meeting Spot, following the muddy tracks.

Why am I panicking? There's no need to panic. I'm sure... I'm overreacting... so there's no need to be afraid! I'm sure... he just went for a morning walk... yes... that's right! I'm sure I'll find him in the Meeting Spot, greeting me with that silent smile of his...! I can see the flagpole already...

It was sudden.

Like a sucker punch. Completely unexpected... but then again... you never expect to find something like this in your life.

Because although it's inevitable, you're never ready to see it face-to-face.

The dead body of Sandy Onirico, The Ultimate Dream Interpreter... a calm, understanding and kind person... was hung up on the camp's flagpole, his corpse wrapped with the flag itself... completely inert and devoid of anything that made him Sandy.

And in that moment, as I fell to my knees in disbelief, I wanted nothing more than to scream. To deny the scene in front of my eyes.

But just like death itself, the scene in front of me was the truth.

The horrible, undeniable truth.

**CHAPTER 1 - A YOUTHFUL SUMMER OF DESPAIR - NORMAL DAYS END**

* * *

**Puhuhuhuhuh! See ya guys later!**


	12. 1 - Chapter 1 - (ab)Normal Lives A

Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - (ab)Normal Days

* * *

**Hey, we saw each other sooner than expected no? This chapter... is rather short, but hey, we need a transition chapter every now and then!**

**Thank you all for the reviews! I truly appreciate them from the bottom of my despair-ridden heart! But enough waxing about my emotions! Here we go!**

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

Ding dong ding dong. A bell chimes in the background, through the entire camp. Soon after, Monobear's voice can be heard through the monitors all over the campsite.

"A body has been discovered! Following a brief period of investigation, the Class Trial will begin!"

A body. A corpse.

So... it's true... Sandy is... dead... I wasn't seeing things... Someone... just died. No... someone... killed Sandy. Someone killed him... one of us.

"This... is really... happening...?", I can hear Astrid's voice, full of disbelief.

"This... can't be...", I hear Merida mumble.

My eyes, however, never leave Jack's frame. The Ultimate Mystery is hunched over on the ground, shaking. I can hear restrained sobs.

I... feel numb. Sandy... was quiet, shy at times. You could honestly miss him if you never bothered to look. But once you knew him, you would always end up looking for him. Though he said no words, he imparted wisdom and his kindness shone brightly on this dire camp like a beacon of light.

And someone... extinguished that light.

I can feel the moisture on my eyes threatening to come out... but I resist the tears.

I... cannot break down like this. Not now. I need to be strong... for someone else.

I make my way towards Jack and I kneel beside him, putting a hand on his back. He flinches away from my touch but upon seeing me, he instantly hugs me. Strongly. As if... he were afraid of losing me. I'm taken aback by the hug at first but I manage to pat him in the back in order to try to soothe him. I don't say anything. Saying things like 'It's going to be OK!' right now... would be an insult.

Because nothing is OK right now.

I still can't believe someone... dared to murder. And why Sandy? He was so nice... Why did someone kill him? Did... someone really kill him... or did Monobear...?

Said Headmaster appears in front of us, and I honestly wished for Thor to strike the odious mascot.

"Hey, um, so. Are you guys like, done? You need to start investigating already, yes? I'm a patient bear but if you guys waste your time like this, you won't be ready for the Class Trial."

I have to use all my strength to hold Jack back from jumping on the Headmaster. Though I understand his feelings... I have some questions for the stupid stuffed toy.

Astrid mercifully cuts in and asks the Headmaster what was in my mind. "What do you mean... 'Class Trial'?"

Monobear lifts a paw and jumps in a place excitedly at the question. Gods, how can he act so carefree in a situation like this...? "That's a good question, Hoffy! But um, this is kinda important so I'm gonna round up everyone else before I explain... so sit tight and wait here!"

And just like that, Monobear disappears once again, inexplicably. What kind of... technology is at work here for that to be possible? My eyes shift to the strange mechanism from yesterday, its LED display showing now 25 DAYS LEFT.

The mysteries keep piling up... as if our situation wasn't terrible enough.

I finally let Jack go and he falls to his knees again, empty of any desire to move. The energetic boy I knew was nowhere to be seen, understandably so. We all stand there, silent and avoiding to look at the corpse of our friend, which is hanging cruelly from the camp's flagpole.

A few uncomfortable minutes pass before everyone else arrives. Their reactions are all that of horrified disbelief.

"N-no!", I can hear Tooth scream breathlessly

"Yo! This... shit, man... this isn't...", says Flynn, obviously unsettled.

"Is he... is he really...?", asks Fishlegs, looking a little green.

Monobear once again pops up in front of us inexplicably and puts a paw behind his head while smiling at us, his white side facing us mostly. "Of course he IS DEAD. Oh, and before you start thinking about it, he's going to stay dead. This isn't one of those Shonen Manga where you can revive a character after a long quest where you collect powerful magical artifacts. You know... like in that famous manga! Dragon B-"

"SHUT UP!", North's shout reverberates through the area as he advances towards the bear, his whole frame quivering with contained anger. "Why?! Why is he dead?!"

The Headmaster looks completely bored and unimpressed as he looks at North.

"That's a dumb question to ask. He's dead because someone killed him. One of you, to be precise."

"ENOUGH OF YOUR LIES!", North's voice rises far more than usual, "You...! You killed him did you not?! T-there's no... other explanation!", his voice breaks as he ends the sentence.

"Oh, but there is, my dear cheap Santa Claus knock off!", says Monobear as he laughs at the Ultimate Sculptor. "I already told you! Someone in your group killed him! Even if you refuse to believe it, those are the facts! One of you took my offer to heart and proceeded to lower dear young Sandy's curtains prematurely so to speak! All for their selfish desires!"

North fell to his knees, his disbelief slowly giving away in the face of the truth. He... really is taking this hard, isn't he?

We all are.

We... really thought we had... started to trust each other. We really did. That's why... we were able to have fun yesterday. Why we were able to joke around, laugh, compete...

But just like that... everything disappeared. Along with Sandy.

Someone... in our group... killed him and is pretending to mourn...?

I look at everyone's faces and they look genuine... but... is that the truth?

Who can I... really trust?

"Hey hey! I didn't bring you here to weep, y'know! You're all wasting time you could be using to investigate!", says Monobear angrily, drawing our attention at him.

"Investigate? The fuck do you mean?", says Snotlout, who oddly enough looks tired and... are his clothes wet?

"Well, you're going to investigate who killed Sandy, of course!", says Monobear smiling.

"What for? The killer already escaped, no?", says Aster with eyes narrowed.

"You're so stupid! And blind! Like...", says Monobear as he taunts the Ultimate Survivalist with a gleeful laugh, "Besides the recently departed, everyone is still here! Count 'em if you want but I really don't care."

I take a head count and it's true. Everyone is still here.

"And you know why? Because the game is now afoot! That's right... the main attraction in this Camp Trip of Mutual Killing: The Class Trial! It's about to begin! So exciting!" declares Monobear to our confusion.

"W-what's... a Class Trial?", asks Rapunzel inbetween sobs, her eyes red from crying. Right... she... liked to draw with Sandy.

"Allow me to explain, class!", says Monobear as he walks towards the speech podium near the flagpole, forcing us to look at him and... Sandy...

"Simply killing isn't enough to leave the camp! Oh no... first, the Blackened... that is to say, the culprit, will have to do so without anyone finding it out! In other words, he has to fool everyone and pull out the perfect crime! And how will the Blackened do that, you ask? By winning at the Class Trial!"

"During a Class Trial, you guys will discuss the murder in order to find out whodunit! This is why it's important to investigate the crime! Because... because because because! If you can't find out who the Blackened is, he'll leave the camp! But why is this bad, you ask? Well, in order to expose the Blackened, you guys will do a majority vote! And if you guys finger the wrong person... you will all be executed and the Blackened will leave the camp!"

My heart sunk as I heard those words. No...

"W-when you say 'executed'... d-do you mean...?", asks Fishlegs, the green in his face intensifying.

"Yeah, a good ol' death is what I mean, Fishy!", says Monobear jovially.

"So... the culprit will sacrifice everyone else's lives... to leave...?", asks Astrid uncharacteristically pale.

"Yep! But I mean, the Blackened already killed someone, so, hey, what's 14 more lives? Right?", says the Headmaster smiling. Astrid just shakes her head in disbelief and I agree with the sentiment. How...? How far is he willing to go... how can he go this far...?

"What happens if we find out who the Blackened is?"

Jack's voice lacks any emotion, but the look in his face is determined, his eyes focused on the bear as if everything he's saying is the only thing that matters.

No... he isn't really... OK with this...?

"Good question Frosty! Really, it's quite simple! If you guys find out who the killer is, that person will be the only one to be executed for disrupting the peace! After we punish the criminal, our peaceful days will resume and we'll live happily ever after! The End! Or at least, until someone else decides to kill! Puhuhuhu!"

At this, Jack's face softens, and I sigh in relief inside me. "So... we're basically sending someone to their death...?", says the whitette breathlessly.

"Hey, an eye for an eye and all that, right?", says the Headmaster nonchalantly.

"Just... stop. Why... why are you making us do this...?", says Anna, her voice breaking.

"Hey, hey! You guys need to clean up your own messes like big kids, OK? If you wanna survive, you're going to have to fight for it, OK? That means the Class Trial is mandatory, so don't think you can shirk your responsabilities, OK?", says the Headmaster angrily.

"Is there anything like, that isn't mandatory with you?", says Ruffnut annoyed as Tuffnut nods his head.

"Well, I could tell you to pick your nose and that wouldn't be mandatory but eh... In any case...", Monobear pauses as he takes out a small device much like our ElectroIDs, "In the spirit of fairness, I'm going to give you all a gift. Presenting... the Monobear File!"

Monobear walks towards us and continues his explanation as he hands the devices. "Think of this as an autopsy report! I realize you guys aren't actually forensic detectives so this should help you amateurs a bit to get started!"

Right, because I'm sure having experience with murder investigations is a skill normal teens have. I take the Monobear File reluctantly and I pocket it, not wanting to look at it just yet. The Headmaster finishes distributing the file and returns to the speech podium to continue to address us.

"The rest will be up to you! Will you able to find out the truth? Will the Blackened get away? Which side is gonna win? Your hope? Or their despair? Puhuhuhu... things are starting to get exciting!", and as he finishes, his red eye lights up once more, "Do your best... and don't waste your time crying over spilled blood... Aha...hahaha!"

And with that tasteless remark, the bear disappeared once again, but the feeling he left isn't gone with him... this heavy burden slowly pressing on us... threatening to crush us.

We are to investigate our friend's death? And to find out the culprit or else we die? And we're gonna kill someone in order to save ourselves?

This... is too much. How... are we supposed to deal with this...? What... are we to do?

"So... what are we going to do...?", asks Tooth, echoing my thoughts.

No one speaks in the uncomfortable atmosphere but Aster finally breaks the silence. "There's nothin' much we can do.. we're gonna have to investigate."

He's right... even if we don't like this... we have to do it...

Besides... I want to know the truth. I know... I would never be comfortable with myself if I never knew.

"We don't even need to investigate", says Elsa suddenly, her gaze cold and damning, "I already know... who did it."

"Y-you do...?", I ask incredulously.

She nods before glaring at Snotlout. "It was you, wasn't it?"

The Ultimate Heavy Lifter looks genuinely shocked at the accusation. "Huh? The fuck you're talking about?!"

The Ultimate Figure Skater doesn't flinch and continues talking. "Who was it that said yesterday that we should sacrifice someone and even went so far as to threaten Mr. Haddock?"

"B-but...! That was...!", Snotlout stammers, not knowing how to answer.

"Now that I pay close attention to you...", interrupts Peter as he studies Snotlout, "your clothes are drenched... And you don't look well rested... what on Earth happened to you?"

"That is not your problem, weirdo!", says Snotlout a little too fast.

"Huh... suspicious...", says Tuffnut.

"Very much so...", adds Ruffnut.

"Knock it off! I-I didn't do it!", says Snotlout, his face slowly filling with fear as everyone gangs up on him.

But... as much as I want to believe he did it...

"We... shouldn't jump to conclusions... guys...", I say, nervous, as everyone looks at me with disbelief. "I... we should still investigate! This... our lives are on the line here... so... we need to be certain before we jump to conclusions... that's all..." I finish lamely.

"The ankle-biter has a point." says Aster backing me up. "We can't half-ass this."

"I still think Snotlout is highly suspicious." Says Elsa as she glares at me for confronting her.

"And like, super stinky.", adds Ruffnut.

"But... Hic is right...", says Jack serious, his gaze drifting towards Sandy's body, "We have to do this right... for our sake... and Sandy's sake..."

At that, everyone nods.

He's right. There... will be time for grieving later. Right now... we must survive...! And to do that... we need to find the truth behind our friend's death! We need to start investigating!

* * *

**Well, see ya in a few! Hopefully.  
**


	13. 1 - Chapter 1 - (ab)Normal Lives B

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - (ab)Normal Days B**

* * *

**Hello there! Nothing much to say here but there IS something at the end of the chapter that you guys need to read. But I'm getting ahead of myself! For now, read on!**

* * *

**Jack's POV**

To think... that I would end up investigating a murder. Life is indeed cruel. Especially since... I'm investigating my friend's murder.

My chest aches at the thought of Sandy. He... really helped me. He truly cared about me... aside from Hic, he was the only one who saw the real me, because I felt he wouldn't judge me. And he never did.

And to think that I... never got to thank him. In fact, the last thing I did was burden him with more troubles of mine. I...

That's why I'll... find out the truth. I won't let the killer get away with this...!

Everyone is already dispersing to investigate but I can tell they're unsure about what to do. To be honest, I don't know either. I almost want to act like Elsa and convict Snotlout but Hic is right. We can't half-ass this. This is important.

But where should I... start?

"I guess... we should investigate the body first...", says Hiccup, who startles me. I didn't even notice he was here with me! Man, was I really that deep in thought? In fact, only him and Toothless are here with me.

A pair of green, concerned-looking eyes are directed at me. This won't do... I... can't let my mood ruin theirs any farther. But... investigating the body...?

No way around it. We need... any info we can.

"Yeah... we should.", and I hate how unsure I sound.

Hiccup nods and slowly makes his way towards the flagpole. He hesitates a bit as he looks at Sandy's body but after shaking his head, he proceeds to lower our departed friend with the utmost care.

And I can only watch. How... can he do this... without feeling sick...?

Apparently, he notices me looking at him, because he looks away after seeing my face. "This... isn't the first time I've seen a corpse... Y'know... village full of vikings living with dragons... accidents... tend to happen...", he trails off as he lowers Sandy's body to the ground, his gaze averting the Ultimate Dream Interpreter's peaceful looking face.

This kid... is really stronger than he looks. I feel nauseous just by looking at the body.

"I... will check this out... if you want. You... should probably read the Monobear File in the mean time... y'know... to divide our workload...", says Hiccup as he takes another look at my face, his eyes full of worry.

Damn... I need to stop looking so weak in front of him. But... I guess I'll take him on that offer. I'm not really... eager to poke around a corpse and it seems like Hic has a bit more experience on that area.

Ignoring the implications of that, I take out the Monobear File and boot it on with a touch. The following information is displayed:

**The Victim was Sandy Onirico, the Ultimate Dream Interpreter.**

**Time of Death: 12:30 AM**

**The victim presents several injuries to it's body, though only one of it was the cause of death: Strangulation. A laceration on his throat and a stab wound on his chest are also present but these are not related to his death.**

Despite not looking at the body, I feel sick. An autopsy report like this... despite the detached tone, it makes the whole thing more real. I look up from the device to see that Hic is done, looking a bit green. Guess even having a bit of experience isn't enough to make the whole thing comfortable.

I take a look at Sandy's body. The flag that was wrapped around him has been undone, and I can see blood stains on it. Of course... that blood probably came from the stab and the... cut on his neck. I grimace as I see the crimson spot on the blonde boy's chest, a tell tale whole on his shirt. I nearly empty my stomach as I see the blood stains on his neck, and even though I can't see the cut itself, just imagining it is enough... And yet... his face is oddly calm... you'd think... that being stabbed or strangled would be painful enough to warrant a reaction... and yet...

"S-so... what did the Monobear File say...?", asks Hic, averting his gaze from the corpse.

"It said that... Sandy died after midnight... he was strangled to death...", I say as even-voiced as I can. Hic nods in understanding, not looking at me. "Did... you find something...?", I ask tentatively.

Hiccup looks a me, biting his lip while rubbing his arm. Toothless nudges him softly, and the auburn-haired boy nods at the encouragement. "Y-yeah... a lot of odd things... I noticed them, I mean..."

Hiccup pauses, gathering his breath before speaking: "First things first... his... Sandy's body was wet..."

And as soon as Hiccup says that sentence, Monobear appears, panting heavily with a blush on his face. "Did-did you say... wet, Hiccy? My... my... to think that you're only 15 and you already think of stuff like that... you're already becoming an adult!"

Dismissing the heat in my cheeks, I glare at the bear before yelling: "What do you want?!". We don't have time for this...!

"Hmph! And to think that YOU of all people would be interested on Hiccy bein-", says Monobear before I yell at him to get to the point already. Hiccup looks at me weird and I have to hide my face from him. This... blush is too telling...!

"Right. I'm here to help and you yell at me. This rebellious youth of today...", says the Headmaster dejectedly. Hiccup perks up at this. "H-help... that's laughable... what's the catch?"

"H-hey... I'm not always underhanded! Besides... this is actually helpful! I'm just here to tell you that your ElectroID has a new function! Think of it as a NotePad of sorts... you can make notes on whatever you find!", says the Headmaster as a faint buzz on my pocket alerts me that my ElectroID has indeed received the function.

This... will certainly be helpful... but I'm not about to thank this bastard.

It's... his fault this happened...!

"Hmmm.. no thanks? No manners at all, I see! But I'm a tough bear! Your uncouth behavior... won't faze me!", and with a stream of fake tears, Monobear disappeared.

Honestly... I can't get a good read on him... All I know is... that he wants to make us suffer.

"W-well... as I was saying...", says Hiccup, still red in the face from our bear encounter, "Sandy's body was wet, as well as the flag..."

"Yeah, but... that's not weird at all, Hic. I mean... it did rain yesterday, remember?"

"True... but... isn't it odd? You'd think Sandy would at least have an umbrella or something... Going out in the rain unprepared is not something I'd expect of him...", defended the brunette.

Hic had a point. Sure, the killer COULD have gotten rid of Sandy's umbrella but what for? "So... you're saying... Sandy came here without planning to...?", I asked Hic, trying to figure something out.

Hiccup looked surprised at my question. "Y-yeah... that's what I think... at least."

I guess... that makes sense... but... that doesn't really help us much.

"What else did you find odd, Hic?"

"Well... something that should be there... is not...", begins the Ultimate Lucky Student, "I... can't find Sandy's ElectroID on him..."

Now that IS odd, but not really a mystery... "So, the killer took it?"

Hiccup nods at me. "Yeah, I believe so. The question is... why...?"

More questions we can't answer. This is getting annoying... but I'm not giving up just yet. Why... would anyone need Sandy's ElectroID?

"I dunno, Hic.", I answer sincerely, "But I think this is important... we should probably make a note out of this."

I can see him hesitate a bit before pulling out his own ElectroID and jotting something down. Yeah... having to rely on Monobear's tools... doesn't feel quite right...

Still... we have to do what we can to survive.

"I wonder where the killer took Sandy's ElectroID...", says Hic to himself before shaking his head. "I guess there's no use worrying about it too much..."

"We should still keep an eye out for it though... it could be a valuable clue!", I say with as much conviction as I can.

"Perhaps... in any case", says Hic as he looks at Sandy once more, "I'm sure you already noticed the other odd thing about the... Sandy's body."

I manage to look over the corpse once more and it is then that I notice it.

"Where are Sandy's shoes?", I ask out loud.

It didn't make sense... why would Sandy walk around in the rain without shoes? No wait, hold on, that's not reasonable to think! The most likely scenario is probably...

"The killer took them... most likely...", I can hear Hiccup mumble as I reach the same conclusion. But... why?

"Gah... this is confusing!", I groan as I try to make any sense of this. "Why would... the killer take his shoes?!"

"Well... the only thing I can think of is... the shoes probably were a valuable clue... so the killer had to hid them... maybe...?", Hiccup offered unsure.

I wasn't sure about that. In fact, I wasn't sure about anything at all. We've been looking over our dead friend's body for a long time and yet...!

"We haven't made any progress at all, haven't we...", I say as I keep looking at the blonde boy's peaceful face.

A hand on my shoulder makes me face Hic, who offers a stern, but small smile. "Hey, we can't give up yet!"

That's right... what was I thinking? I CAN'T give up... Not now. We're just getting started, right? I can't be disheartened by this... I'm sure Sandy would've had smacked me on the back of my head for even considering giving up as an option! Besides...

"Yeah, you're right!", I return his smile with a nod. I'm sure this tiny Viking will help me if I ever get confused, even if he's the source of my confusion. He's the smart one, after all.

"But... uh... what do we do now, Hic?", I ask tentatively. I really... don't know what to do. I don't have any experience with this, so naturally, I'm unsure!

Hiccup crosses his arms and closes his eyes tightly, cocking his head to the right, deep in thought... you know... I never noticed how his brow furrows when he starts thinking... and it's kinda cu- focus Jack!

"Hmm...", Hic opens his eyes and looks at Sandy once again, "We should... look for whatever caused those wounds... and we should look around this area a bit more..."

I eye the crimson stains with unease and I shiver at the thought of finding the thing that hurt my friend. "W-why do we need to find that, Hic? It's clear that the murder weapon was the flagpole..."

The Ultimate Lucky Student looks pensive as he hears my question, "The murder weapon is the flagpole, huh... Regardless, I think we should look for the cause of the wounds. It may lead to a clue."

I wasn't keen on finding that thing. The idea of finding a bloodied weapon... but I guess... Hic is right...

"Let's have Toothless find it.", I suggest. The Night Fury, who had been seeing us investigate quietly, suddenly perked up at the mention of his name and bounded over to us excitedly.

"Why?", asks Hic, less excitedly.

"W-well.. I figured he would be able to track Sandy's blood on the weapon...?", I say, trying to explain my reasoning and praying to the Gods that my assumption about dragon noses was correct. To my surprise, Hiccup actually looked impressed by my bluff.

"Well.. he isn't a Tracker Class dragon... but... I'm surprised you knew that, Jack."

Hiccup turns to Toothless and looks intently at the Night Fury's toxic green eyes for a long moment. Suddenly, Toothless nods at with an impressive speed, he darts away from us.

"He'll find it. I'm sure.", says the auburn-haired kid as he sees his friend run away. I can't help but to gawk at him, impressed. Did he... talk to Toothless without using words? That's...

"S-so... we should get back to our investigation...", says Hic as he notices that I'm looking at him, and I snap back to the present.

"Right, right! We should... uh... look around here, right?", Jack, keep it together. This is a life or death situation! You can't space out like this!

Perhaps I'm spacing out because of that? No, I'm just trying to make up excuses for myself.

Despite our efforts, we don't manage to find anything noteworthy in the rest of the Meeting Spot. The only thing of any importance is...

"I guess these footprints in the mud are the only clue here, huh...", says Hic as he walks next to me. I nod. I kneel in order to study the footprints.

There's two distinct set of footprints in the mud. Oddly enough, one of them appears to start from a bush to the north of the clearing we're in. The other, however, comes from the Rec Area.

"You think these are... Sandy's?", Hic asks quietly.

"Yeah...", it's the only thing that makes sense. So that means... the other set of footprints is... "These... must belong to the killer, too...", I say as I come to that conclusion.

...But, who left these footprints? If we identify these... I'll suppose we'll find the killer, right?

"Huh... but this is weird...", I hear Hic mumble. I turn to the brunette, and ask him what he meant.

Hiccup hesitates once more before speaking, unsure of what to say. "How do I put this...? Hmm... we both agree that these belong to the killer and Sandy, right?"

I nod.

"OK... but... who left these footprints, exactly? What I mean is... which of these are Sandy's and which are the killer's?"

I... don't know. Why is this important? "I dunno Hic. Why does it matter? I mean... if you want an answer...", I point to the footprints leaving the Meeting Spot "I'd say those are the killer's. I mean, he did have to leave the crime scene, right? Sandy... obviously didn't..."

I can see Hiccup flinch visibly, and I manage to catch a quiet 'sorry' from him. I shake my head a bit to show him I don't mind... I know he didn't mean it that way.

"It's just...", he begins, "If those footprints leaving the Meeting Spot are the killer's... then that makes the other footprints Sandy's... which then means... that he was waiting for the killer here, right?"

I see what Hic means know. "That IS weird... and those footprints started from the bush right? Does that mean Sandy was hiding?"

But... why? This just got more complicated... Just what happened last night?

The Ultimate Lucky Student looks at me dead in the eye, his eyes alight with determination all of a sudden. "I think... we should find out who left these footprints. It's clear they're important."

I agree with him. We should compare these with everyone's... maybe, in doing so, we'll even find the murderer!

Hic suddenly kneeling grabs my attention. What is he doing...? Soon enough I get an answer as he suddenly unties his right sneaker and shows its sole to me, his face a bit flustered.

"Just... to make sure... it wasn't me", he says without meeting my gaze, the sole of his sneaker matching neither of the footprints on the mud.

I chuckle, which makes him look at me. "Relax, Hic. I trust you." I say, to the embarrassment of the Viking. It's true. The thought of him being the culprit... never occurred to me. I just... had this feeling Hic wasn't it and this action just proved that to me.

I take off my left sneaker and show the sole of it to Hic. Of course, it matches none of the ones left on the mud, but I already knew that. I wink at the Ultimate Lucky Student's confused look and I smile teasingly, "Just making sure it wasn't me."

"Jerk...", the kid says with a pout, and I can't help but to laugh a bit at that. Hic then proceeds to entertain himself with his ElectroID, saying something along the lines of 'gotta add our footprints to the notes' as an excuse.

This guy... really brings out the best of me... huh.

"We need to get going...!", says Hic as he hastily puts away his ElectroID and his shoe back on. I copy him and nod at his words. We need more clues.

"Then let's head over to the Rec Area.", I say as I start walking towards the place, Hiccup tagging along behind me.

We'll... definitely find something!

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

It seems like Jack is relying on me to figure out a solution. And I guess I'm sort of giving this 'I know what am I doing' vibe but to be honest? I'm just winging it. I really have no idea if my deductions are correct...

But seeing Jack act like his old self because of me... I guess I really am a sucker for bearing burdens no one asked me to bear, huh?

Nevertheless, we can't stop here. Even if I'm just winging it... I'm sure we'll find something out! I'm a Viking, after all. We're known for being stubborn, and I'll live up to that reputation.

Our investigation in the Rec Area is interrupted before it even begins by Aster, though. As we walk in, we find the Ultimate Survivalist leaning on a cottage's wall, deep in thought. I wonder what's eating him...?

"Yo, Bunny!", shouts Jack, which makes Aster jump with surprise. Even I have to laugh at the deja vu of the situation. Of course, Aster doesn't appreciate the humor of it, and he stomps over to us with a... displeased expression.

"'Course you would be goofing off even at a time like this...", says Aster to the whitette next to me, who drops the smile on his face and stiffens.

"I'm not goofing off... I'm investigating...", says Jack in a strained voice, glaring at the much taller male in front of him. Aster arches an eyebrow, as if he's evaluating Jack before slowly nodding his head.

"Well, at least you have ankle-biter here to set you straight...", says Aster as he looks at me. Great, more people expecting greatness out of me. Beautiful. "Can't say I'm making any progress, on my end...", says the Ultimate Survivalist with a conflicted look on his face.

"You... really want to help, don't you?", says Jack to the silver-haired boy, who huffs indignant.

" 'Course I want to! The bastard that did this to Sandy... he must pay for his crimes, ya hear?". Jack and I exchange a look. We... can trust Aster... I'm sure.

"Say, Aster... we know a way you can help us, actually...", I begin to say to the silver haired male, who looks at me with curiosity. We explain the footprint situation to Aster and by the end of it, he's looking at me with an odd expression.

"So... ya want me to check out people's shoes. That it...?", he says with an arched eyebrow.

"I-I know it sounds mundane... but it's important!", I say with conviction.

"And we don't have enough time to do that and investigate at the same time... so, please Bunny!", begs Jack.

"Never thought I'd see Frostbite beggin'... Guess it's THAT important, huh...", says Aster as mulls our petition over. "All right. I'll do it. Hope this isn't a waste of time..."

"Thanks, Aster." I say, truly grateful. This... is going to be a huge help.

"Don't mention it, kiddo.", he says with a gentle smile. "Well, guess I better get goin'. Take care of him, will ya Frostbite?", and with a ruffle of my hair and those words, Aster leaves.

...Why is he treating me like a little kid?! T-this is embarrassing!

I can see Jack is glaring at Aster as he leaves and I have to wonder... is he angry because Aster treated me like a kid? What an odd thing to be mad about...

"We should... uh, get back to investigating", I say to him, and he only nods stiffly. Jack is oddly quiet as we search high and low for any clues but we come up empty-handed. That, on top of Jack's scowl, makes the mood kind of awkward so Flynn appearing and approaching us makes me let out a sigh of relief.

"Yo, Haddock! Overland! How's it going?", says Flynn jovially.

"About as good as you'd expect...", I say truthfully.

Flynn simply nods, looking a lot more like his usual self, though he still seems jumpy, judging by the fact that he's looking around nervously.

"What brings you here, Flynn?", asks Jack, his scowl softening a little.

The Ultimate Thief kinda jumps at the question, but smiles upon seeing Jack. "Oh, nothing much, Jack. I actually wanted to show you something."

Jack and I exchange confused looks. The whitette looks wary as he asks, "What is it?"

Flynn looks troubled as he looks at me, "Er... when I meant 'you', I meant YOU, as in... only you, Jack..."

To say I wasn't hurt by the lack of trust would've been a lie. I guess... it's to be expected, but still...

The Ultimate Mystery, however, huffed in annoyance as he crossed his arms. "Hic is trustworthy, Flynn. He's helping me investigate, so he needs to know."

Flynn looks over me with an arched eyebrow before sighing. "Fine," he says as he slides his hand into his pocket, "If you say so, Jack."

He then produces a familiar... object from his pocket. It's an ElectroID... but caked with mud and smeared with blood...?

"Is that Sandy's?!", I shout with the realization.

Flynn nods as he brings the gadget back to life, showing the unmistakable face of our departed friend.

"W-where... did you... find this...?", says Jack, his eyes completely focused on the ElectroID.

"Over there, hidden in that bush.", says Flynn as he points at a bush near a cottage nonchalantly. I bring out my ElectroID quickly and I check out the map to confirm who's cottage is it.

"It's... Snotlout's...", I say slowly. There's no mistake. This cottage belongs to Snotlout... could it be...?

"Hic... the killer must have taken Sandy's ElectroID... right...?", says Jack with a nervous tone.

"If so, that's mighty suspicious of Snot, if you ask me.", adds Flynn as his brow furrows.

"I told you, did I not? There's no need to investigate.", says a cold, feminine voice out of nowhere. I whirl around to see that Elsa has joined us, her gaze judging me as she approaches us. "Mr. Jorgenson's guilt is obvious. You are all wasting your time." Gee... if looks could kill... or freeze...

"B-but we needed to confirm it... I mean... we just can't cast our judging recklessly... we're... risking our lives... we have to be certain.", I say lamely, not wanting to see her cold, probing gaze.

"And you just confirmed it, isn't that so? I don't see why we need to continue investigating, Mr. Haddock.", says Elsa, a slight grin on her face mocking me.

"N-not yet... we aren't done... we, uh... need to check some stuff out and...", Damn it. I'm losing my nerve here. Why is she so dead set on opposing me...?

"Are you saying you think Mr. Jorgenson is not guilty? Why, Mr. Haddock... I'd thought you'd be the first to condemn him.", she says with a frown on her face.

"It's not that...", It really isn't. I don't like Snotlout. He scares me. But even so... "I-I already told you... I need to be certain... I need to be 100% sure... or else... we'll all suffer..." And if I can prevent that from happening... I'll do everything I can.

Elsa's probing glare finally stops, and with a sigh, she turns to leave. "Despite your turmoil with Mr. Jorgenson, you choose to give him a second chance and not condemn him... Mr. Haddock... you're quite the kind fool. I hope that your... kindness doesn't destroy you in the Class Trial..."

And with that, she leaves.

Pfft? Me, kind? I never saw myself like that. It's just... in these kinds of things, one has to be as impartial as possible... even for jerks like Snotlout. That isn't... kindness... right?

And why would that... destroy me...?

"What's her deal?", says Jack with clear disdain in his voice.

"I dunno... but she's right about something. Things aren't looking bright for Snot.", adds Flynn as he crosses his arms.

It's true... Snotlout is looking pretty suspicious... but it's too early to jump to conclusions. We should resume the investigation. I turn to Flynn with a renewed resolve.

"Say, Flynn... could you loan us Sandy's ElectroID?", I ask the Ultimate Thief.

Both males look at me surprised. "Sure... I don't mind. But can I ask what for?", says Flynn as he hands me the device.

I stare at Jack before answering, gauging his reaction. "We're gonna check out his cottage. I... think we'll find a clue there."

As I expected, Jack's eyes darkened with sadness, but he doesn't object. Flynn looks at the whitette with a grimace, but nods. "Well, good luck with that. I'm gonna hit the trail again. Maybe I'll find something else."

I thank Flynn for his help, and as I watch his retreating back, I make my way towards Sandy's cottage slowly. As I pass Jack, I say in a low tone, "You don't... have to come... you know?"

The Ultimate Mystery shakes his head violently, and after rubbing his eyes with his forearm, he turns to follow me, his eyes still sad but more alive. "No. I'm coming. We... I have to do this."

"Yeah...", is all I can say. There's... nothing much to say. We approach the cottage slowly, but in silence, the only sound coming from the door opening after I use the ElectroID to gain access to... our friend's cottage.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

The first thing I notice upon entering the cottage is the drawings. Sketches upon sketches. Everywhere. On the floor, on the walls and even some in the bed. The second thing I notice is the decor. Everything, to the sheets in the bed to the small light on the night stand, was moon themed. And even though the drawings were thrown around everywhere, the rest lf his cottage was well organized.

Undisturbed. As if he was never here.

I walked farther into the cottage and picked up a random drawing. My talent must be Ultimate Bad Luck, because the first one I picked up took my breath away in a bad way.

A sketch of us four. Hiccup, Astrid, Merida and me, standing shoulder to shoulder, smiling. Even though it was a simple sketch, with obvious errors here and there, there was a noticeable attention to detail. To the way Hiccup's crooked smile showed how nervous he was to be around people, to the way I was leaning on both the Viking and Merida with my arms slung over their shoulders... Even Merida's scowl at my antics and Astrid's laughter were palpable.

I had to choke a sob. Not now. I can do this... I will not... falter. There'll be time for this... later.

"Uh... Jack?", says Hic tentatively, in a hushed tone. I turn to see a pair of green eyes looking at me worriedly. "Yeah, Hic?", I say as cheerfully as I can. It comes out like a croak.

"Are those...?", he says as he points over to side of the bed. I follow his finger and I notice it too. Muddy footprints. I quickly follow them and I find that they continue under the bed. It's hard to see anything because it's dark under there, but after looking around for a bit, I grab ahold of something.

A pair of shoes. Caked in mud on the soles... and... stained with blood.

"Are these...?", Hic begins.

"No doubt about it." I finish for him, "Sandy's shoes."

"But what are they doing here...?", says Hic. "I mean... we thought the killer took them but... if they're here..."

Another mystery. I'm honestly getting sick of this. Still... this is important. "I don't know what this means Hic, but I think we can at least say for sure that somehow, Sandy's shoes ended up here after the crime happened."

"Wait... maybe...", says the Ultimate Lucky Student before shaking his head, "No, nevermind.", he then proceeds to eye me with worry. Do I... look that bad...?

"Ahem... I'll... check out things over here... yeah", and with that, he excuses himself to the other side of the cottage sheepishly, awkwardly stepping around the drawings on the floor.

He's acting too cautiously around me. Even more than usual. I guess he really doesn't want me to be upset. But to be honest... I kinda miss his sarcastic side a little. His witty repertoire would be more welcome right now. Still, I can't get angry at him for acting like this... I... probably would act the same way.

My heart isn't on the search, as I try to ignore all the things in the room-Sandy's room... my friend's room- In an effort to not break down. I look under the bed once more and to my surprise, I find something else. A book.

I slowly retrieve it from under the bed and I take a look at the cover. It's a sketchbook, but it has a label that reads "My Diary". Is this...?

"What did you find?"

Hic's sudden question makes me jump. The brunette approaches me with a quizzical look as he eyes the book in my hands.

"Uh... did you find anything?", I ask, before telling him what I found.

"I asked you something first", he says with a roll on his eyes, but upon realizing he said something sarcastic, he covers his mouth and blushes, which honestly makes me laugh. My laughter only makes him blush harder. Damn it... no need for these thoughts right now.

"It's... his diary...", I say as I wave the sketchbook in front of him. Hic's eyes widen with realization at my words. He approaches me slowly, his eyes moving from the book to me.

"Are you... Shall we... uh... look inside?", he asks as he wrings his hands together.

I look at the cover of the book once more. I can do this... Right. With a sigh, I flip open the sketchbook and as I start flipping through the pages, Hic walks up next to me in order to see.

There's not much in the sketchbook. Apparently, he started this diary as soon as we got here, seeing how there's nothing before our first day in the camp. And yet, all the things written and drawn on the pages send surges of pain in my heart. Seeing how much fun he was having with us... how grateful he was that we didn't judge him for his disability... how worried he was about me and my dreams... made me miss him even more.

At one point, Hic grabbed me in a one-armed hug, for which I was grateful.

As we read the last entry of the diary, however, things turned... weird. The last sentences read so:

**"Monobear appeared before us today and made his move! Apparently there's a traitor among us? I can't believe my friends would work with that fiend! But... what if... one of them believes the villain and they try to harm Jack, Hiccup, Merida or Astrid?**

**I couldn't take it! I must stop anything like that from happening! But I don't know how...**

**Perhaps the strange book I found here has something that will help me? I don't know who it belongs too... it says that it belongs to a 'Sanderson Mansnoozie' but the contents of the book are written in a weird language that I can't read... I need to figure out what it says before Monobear finds it! Should I hide it...?**

**Aaah! This is annoying! I think I'll take a walk outside to clear my mind. Who knows...? Maybe I'll figure something out!"**

This was the last entry in the diary. So this must be last thing he wrote... He never returned here to write out more.

"A... weird book?", says Hiccup, his brow furrowed in confusion. "I searched all over the place and didn't find anything..."

Closing the sketchbook and putting it on the bed, I said, "Me neither... You think the killer or Monobear took it...?"

"No... I don't think so. The cottage was pretty much undisturbed before we got here... at least, it seemed like that.", says the Viking says with his arms crossed.

"Then... Sandy must have hidden it somewhere...", I conclude. But... what does that book have to do with this...? Somehow... I don't think it has anything to do with this crime... and yet... it seems important.

"Do you want to look for it?", asks Hic.

"No...", I answer with hesitation. I do want to search for it but... "We don't hav the time for that... Let's look for clues elsewhere..."

"If you say so..." says Hiccup with his eyes cast downward.

"Say, Hic?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"Lighten up, OK? I... your sarcastic barbs help me more than your moodiness.", I say to the brunette with a smirk. Or what I hope is a smirk.

"...And here I thought the sensitive schtick was helping you...", mumbles the Viking, still not looking at me. I push him playfully in order to make him look at me, and the almost-bordering-on-inoffensive glare I get makes me smile genuinely.

"That's more like it."

"Mental note", says Hic, "If you want to make Jackson Overland happy, be mean to him."

"You make me sound like a masochist.", I say with a scoff.

"Are you?"

"Hic, why do you want to know that?", I ask teasingly before I can stop myself.

"Wow, OK. No. Monobear doing the whole innuendo thing was bad enough. Let's... get going, OK?" And with that, the little Viking leaves the cottage way faster than needed.

Did I... mess up? But we were just bantering like usual... right?

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

...I may have overreacted a bit. But I didn't want Jack's double-meaning dialogue to give me any funny ideas. I had to concentrate on the case.

We made our way to the Rec Area to investigate but we didn't found any important leads, nor anyone was of much help. The only ones that provided helpful information were Astrid and Merida, who were busy trying to find Snotlout, without much success.

"It's as if he had vanished without a trace.", said Astrid with a worried expression.

"Ya said it. He's harder to find than Nessie, that brute.", added Merida with an exasperated look.

"Still... we need to find him! I think... he's vital to this case.", I said almost... no, fully certain that I was right. The way Snotlout was acting was definitely suspicious so he must know something.

"If ya say so, Hiccup. Guess we better get going and find 'im. I feel like we're running out of time...", says Merida with a fiery look in her eyes. "Let's get goin' Astrid!", and with that, she took the blonde by the arm, almost dragging her away.

"Good luck!", shouted Jack enthusiastic and obviously enjoying the sight of Astrid being pulled around.

But... time...? It's true... the investigation started a little after 7 AM and now it's almost noon. I doubt Monobear is going to wait any longer. We have to hurry!

Wordlessly, we made our way to the supermarket in hopes of finding a lead.

What we found was something quite different. Monobear himself.

"Helloooo there! How do you find the sleuthing I prepared for you? Are you entertained? Excited? I despairingly hope so! Puhuhuhu!", said the bear with a mocking giggle.

"What... are you doing here?!", shouts the whitette at the Headmaster, but like always, the bear remains undaunted, as if our outbursts of emotion were nothing to him.

"Chill, Frosty. Oh, that was a good one! Tee hee...", the Headmaster laughs at his own pun before continuing, "I'm just here to do an inventory check! Someone has to keep count of the things you bastards use in the camp, y'know?"

Wait... things we've used in the camp...? Does he mean...?

"Even the things that were used in the murder? You keep count of those?!", my voice quivers with excitement. Maybe... this will be our lead...!

"Hmm? Yeah, I do count those too. But why do you ask?", the red eye of the Headmaster lighting up is already a bad sign, "If you think I'm going to tell you WHO took any of the things used in the murder, then I'm happy to disappoint you! I'm not telling!", and in a childish display, Monobear turns around and slaps his rear at me.

It bothers me more than it should. Really, what is he, 5?!

"Can you at least tell me what was used in the crime?!", I say exasperated, running a hand through my mop of hair.

"I forgot. Please try again later." says the Headmaster, enjoying toying with me.

But before I can even form a retort, a heavy set of foot steps makes me turn around. Running at me is Toothless, with something large in his mouth. Is that...?

"Looks like Toothless found it, Hic.", says Jack with a grimace.

Toothless drops the object in front of my feet, looking proud. I rub his snout before proceeding to check the object.

It's longer than I thought. It looks like a lance, but incredibly ornate, it's silver surface engraved with carvings in Nordic language. There's blood at the tip of the lance, which should be obvious, but there's also mud there as well. The lance itself is freakishly long, though! It's almost 2 meters long! This thing... looks hard to wield. There's another thing in this lance that catches my attention... on the bottom of the spear is a a long cord attached to the lance. The cord itself is long as well, bordering on 5 meters. Just... what is this?

"O brave Vikings, what have you here is that of which the Valkyries sing on their songs. For what you have brought is none other but the legendary spear, Gugnir!", says Monobear suddenly in a stuffy tone.

"Or at least, an imitation. But hey, I'd say it's a pretty good one, fit only for the best warriors, don't you think? Nyohohoho!", finishes the Headmaster, destroying any sense of wonder I had for the weapon in front of me. I should've known the Headmaster was pulling a fast one on me...

Still, Monobear was being truthful about something. This thing looked impossible to use... and yet... it had blood on it, so...

"So this is the murder weapon...?", says Jack as he kneels to look closely to the lance.

"Mmmmaybe! But that's not important! You know what is important? It's time!", says the Headmaster with a grin, and before I can ask him anything, he disappears.

A buzz in a nearby monitor confirms my fears. Monobear appears on it shortly, still sipping that eternal lemonade.

"Um, you know... I've grown tired of waiting, so like! Let's begin the Class Trial! Please proceed to Monobear Tower, which can be found down a path to the left of the restaurant, immediately! Let's make this Class Trial a memorable one, shall we?"

Panic started to set in after that message. We... aren't ready yet! We still don't know what the heck is going on! And yet...!

"H-Hic... we have to get going...", says Jack, his face tense. He tugs on my sleeve and that snaps me out of my panic attack. I nod at him before I start walking towards the appointed place stiffly, Jack and Toothless following me closely.

As we went down the unfamiliar path that I swore just appeared right now (After all, we looked everywhere on our stay here and we never found this path), my heart was racing so fast that I thought I would have a heart attack on the spot. And yet, I kept walking. Through the tree tops, I managed to see that mysterious tower that was visible through the entire camp.

It fascinated me, that tower. It rose tall into the clouds, so tall that the top wasn't even visible. And yet, despite it's size, we never found a way towards it. Until today. Knowing that this tower had to do with our life-and-death situation made me scared of it now, but we had no choice, we had to go forward.

Toothless' worried croon made me realize we were near now. It wasn't even a hundred steps before we reached a clearing, where the base of the tower was. The clearing we were in was different from the other ones. This one was surrounded by tall cliff walls, and the ground was solid granite instead of dirt. The base of the tower, like most things in this camp, was Monobear-themed, the Headmaster modelling the base in the shape of his head.

Standing in front of the 'door' (which was where Monobear's mouth would be), were the others, already gathered. They all looked weary, nervous, confused, scared and well... miserable. I guess Jack and I look the same. But it was understandable.

Soon enough, Monobear himself appeared, which already worsened our falling mood.

"Looks like everyone is here and ready for a healthy dose of despair-", began the monochromatic bear before abruptly stopping. "Hmm?! Hey! Where's Snotty?!"

True enough, a quick look around revealed the fact that Snotlout Jorgenson was nowhere to be seen.

"We looked for him everywhere but... we didn't find him.", said Merida, defeated.

"Grrr! This won't do! Won't do at all! I have always had a perfect attendee record an I won't let Snotty ruin it! Raaaawr!", and with that cartoony roar, the Headmaster vanished.

Roughly 10 minutes later, sounds of shouting and obscenities came from the path we all had used to arrive. We all turned to see what was the commotion and we were treated to the sight of Snotlout, the Ultimate Heavy Lifter, being dragged by the neck of his shirt effortlessly by the much smaller Monobear, despite all the trashing of the much bigger boy.

"Enough! If you don't stay put! I'll punish you by plucking out your eyebrow hairs one by one!", said the Headmaster to the dark brown-haired male, who reluctantly joined our group, not without receiving a few glares from some of the group, Jack included.

"Now... we're behind schedule, so to speak, because of a certain trouble maker... but without further ado...! Let's start this Class Trial", said Monobear as he opened his arms wide, the door to the tower opening slowly. "Please proceed to the courtroom by taking the charming elevator in front of you! See ya there!", and with that, he vanished, the dark interior of the elevator staring at us, beckoning us to enter.

Taking a deep breath in order to try to calm down, I watched as everyone entered the elevator one by one, the Twins and Flynn practically pushing Snotlout in. Aster lingered a bit before entering, shooting me a thumbs up before entering. Does that mean he...?

Soon enough, Jack, Toothless and I were the only ones left. Without saying a word, Jack gave me squeeze in my shoulder and a tense smile before walking towards the elevator, disappearing into the darkness.

With a courage I didn't know I had, I stepped into the elevator. Toothless soon followed, and with a finality, the doors of the elevator slowly closed behind us. Soon after, the lights came up and a surprisingly spacious room was revealed, spacious enough for all of us and a Night Fury to stand comfortably in. A slight lurch told us that the elevator had started moving, but without any indicator, I wasn't able to tell how fast or how high we were.

Still, no one talked in the ascent. Despite how long it took to reach our destination, no one broke the silence. All around me, I saw faces focused and in deep thought. We... were all trying to ready ourselves for the Class Trial...

The elevator came to a stop.

Soon enough... this game of lies and truth, this game of betrayal and trust, this game of life and death... this game of Hope and Despair... will begin.

And as the doors to the courtroom opened slowly, I realized that there was no going back.

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**Alright! The next chapter will be the Class Trial, and it will be a whooper! I'm going to try to write out the whole thing in a single chapter, so I may take a while.**

**Speaking of chapter lengths... I just realized I like writting shorter chapters... as in 2k-3k word chapters. Would that bother you guys? I'm more comfortable writing in those lengths but you ARE my audience!**

**In any case, your reviews give me strength. I appreciate them from the bottom of my latino heart. See ya later!**


	14. 1 - Chapter 1 - Class Trial

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - Class Trial**

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**Whew! This is it! The big one! Hope you enjoy it... it's extra large! I had fun writing this... like a lot! So I hope you have fun too!**

**PS. If you guys have an AO3 account, you will find that this chapter has a special bonus that can only be viewed there because of the site's features... which is a bummer but oh well. You won't really miss anything story or content-wise. It's just something... I did for fun and flair!**

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**Hiccup's POV**

The doors gave away to reveal a giant, circular room. If I had to describe the room... the best way I could do so was with the word 'gaudy'.

Red velvet curtains hung from the wall all the way to the floor, and the walls were lined with golden pillars with checkered tiles in between them. Red velvet carpet covered the entire floor and in the middle of the room, also arranged in a circular motion, were booths with cruddy drawings of us in the floor. There was even a big one for Toothless.

Overseeing this circle of booths was the most outrageous throne I've ever seen, made entirely out of gold and fitted with red cushions. And of course, Monobear was sitting on it, looking at us smugly. Said bear beckoned us to come in further with his paw and we cautiously left the elevator and walked into the courtroom proper.

This was it. No ifs or buts.

"Welcome! Did you enjoy the ride? I'm sure you did! I mean, I spared every expense in making that elevator but I think it's still amazing, don't you think?", our Headmaster greeted us with a nonsensical tirade. Of course, everyone was too tense to humor the bear. Seeing no reaction from us, Monobear moved on.

"Very well! I see you're set and ready to go, so let's fire up this thing and get started! Please take your corresponding booth! You'll know which one belongs to you by looking at the totally accurate artistic depictions of you done by me!", said Monobear as he pointed at the booths with enthusiasm.

I quickly spotted my own booth (Monobear's doodle of me greatly exaggerated my crooked teeth), and I walked to it hesitantly. Slowly, everyone got in place; Going from my right, Tooth was next to me, followed by a shared booth with Tuffnut and Ruffnut, then Flynn, Elsa, Peter, Fishlegs, Merida, Anna, Jack, Aster, Toothless, North, Astrid, Rapunzel, Snotlout and finally... ending with an empty booth to my left. That booth didn't hold a person, instead... it held a sign post with a black and white picture of Sandy, a crude red 'X' painted over it.

Monobear caught me looking at it and his sneer increased tenfold. "Hey! Just because he's dead, it doesn't mean he should be excluded! I bet he wouldn't want to miss the big event! So, I put a picture of him in his place! You know how in some cultures, people believe that cameras and photos can steal a person's soul? This way, you could say Sandy is accompanying us in spirit! Puhuhuhu!"

The trial hadn't even started and I already had a headache. Ugh... this rotten stuffed animal was being unbearable.

"Just shut up already.", snarled Jack, clearly not amused at the bear's antics. Monobear continued unperturbed.

"Right. Right. The heart-thumping and super-cool-and-exciting Class Trial is NOW IN SESSION!", shouted the bear as he took a seat.

"Now then... let's begin with a simple explanation of the Class Trial.", began Monobear with a monotone voice, as if he were reading a script. "During a Class Trial, you guys will debate and argue in order to figure out who the Blackened is! If you guys figure out whodunit and vote for that person and it's correct... only the Blackened will get punished! But if you pick the wrong persoooooon... the Blackened will leave, and you guys will be punished!"

"Oh, and, um... you guys HAVE to vote. Abstaining from voting is punishable by my law. S-so don't even think about bailing on me after you a-already undressed me and left me bear naked...!",said Monobear as he faked to be turned on, a blush inexplicably appearing on the stuffed animal. Seriously, what the heck?

"A question, before we start, if I may?", said Elsa, suddenly. "I'm assuming you're the judge of the trial? Does this mean you know who the killer is?"

Monobear looked at the Ultimate Figure Skater with a smile. "Of course I know who did it! How else would I be able to give a fair ruling if I didn't know that? Oh but if you think that I will give you a clue, my cute bear lips are sealed! Puhuhu!"

That... makes sense, actually. No doubt Monobear caught the culprit on camera. Knowing this does little to ease my nerves, unfortunately.

"Now then, begin already! Present your arguments!", demanded the monochromatic bear.

The fact that my hands were sweating clearly told me that I was nervous. My heart hammered away in my chest. This... whole thing would decide our fates. But...

"How... should we start...?", asked Rapunzel, voicing my question.

"Yeah, we don't exactly have any experience with this, so." said Tuffnut, a disinterested look in his face. "Where do we begin?", finished Ruffnut, equally disinterested.

"How about we start by voting already?", said Elsa, looking at us with a cold gaze before zeroing on Snotlout, who flinched. "We already know he's the culprit."

"Oh my! Voting Time already?! Well... if you insist...", shouted Monobear, bring his paws over his snout in order to hide his mischievous smile.

"HOLD THE PHONE!", shouted Snotlout. "I didn't fucking kill anyone!"

"But you're clearly the most suspicious person in this room. And you have voiced your** intent to kill**. So you're our only and most likely suspect.", pressured Elsa, actually leaning a bit on her booth as she spoke.

"I-I want a lawyer...!", said Snotlout as he covered his head with two beefy hands and to my surprise, he actually started to tear up a bit.

"DE-NIED!", shouted Monobear joyfully.

"Settle down, you two.", intervened North, silencing the pair with his authoritative tone. "We're not starting voting time without discussing incident first, yes?"

"I agree with North, sis.", said Anna. "We should make sure he's the culprit before we jump to any conclusions."

Elsa squinted her eyes with annoyance and muttered under her breath, "You're only saying that because Mr. Haddock said it."

Great. Really scoring brownie points with her. That's me, making friends everywhere.

"S-so!", said Fishlegs suddenly, "Maybe we should start with how... um, Sandy died?"

That's a good starting point, actually.

"According to the Monobear file", began Peter as he scanned the device with a bored tone, "Sandy died due to-"

"Stab wounds!", shouted Tuffnut, excited, "**He was stabbed to death!** Probably with a knife or something." Ruffnut rudely interjected by shoving his brother, "Don't be an idiot! He obviously died from the **cut on his neck!** You can see it in the file, clear as day!"

"Uh... guys?", I said before they started throwing down, "That's wrong. The Monobear File clearly says that he died from strangulation." Honestly, these two... did they even read the File?

"Oh"

"We didn't actually read the file."

Oh Hel's skirts. These two...!

"So... Mr. Sandy died from **strangulation**?", said Rapunzel crestfallen.

"'Fraid so, Punzie", answered Flynn, looking grim.

"So what's up with the wounds, then? You sure they weren't the cause of death?", asked Merida, deep in thought with her arms crossed.

I shook my head. "The Monobear File clearly says that the cause of death is **strangulation**."

"What if Monobear is lying?" said Astrid, suddenly confrontational.

"Hey! Don't talk about me as if I weren't here! It's very rude!", shouted the Headmaster as he flailed his arms around in childish anger. "I'll have you know the Monobear file contains the truth and only the truth!"

"So then, what about the wounds, ankle-biter?", said Aster after hearing Monobear's tirade.

"I... think they were inflicted after Sandy died...", said Jack before I could answer, a finger on his temple as he spoke. "It's... the only thing that makes sense if they're not the cause of death."

"So, what's the murder weapon?", asked Tooth, looking at all of us with expectantly.

"Looking at the state of the body, it should be obvious.", said Elsa, apparently willing to participate this time around, though her eyes never left Snotlout as she spoke. "We found the corpse hung by the neck, didn't we? I assume the killer **hanged** Mr. Onirico and simply waited until he died."

"How horrible...!", shouted Rapunzel as she looked a little pale.

"And then they went and stabbed his corpse...?!", said North, looking outraged.

"The hell, Snotlout?! How could you do that?!", shouted Ruffnut.

"E-ENOUGH I DIDN'T DO IT!", screamed the Ultimate Heavy Lifter, close to tears.

"But... is that how it really happened? The killer hung Sandy, lowered the body, stabbed him, and then hung him again? Doesn't that seem odd and convoluted and risky?", I interjected.

"Don't forget we're dealin' with Snotface here, ankle-biter." said Aster as he glared at the teary-eyed teen.

"Not the brightest bub in the pack, that's for sure...", commented Merida as Flynn nodded.

"P-please... I didn't do it... Stop...", and for the first time in my stay here, I felt pity for Snotlout. He actually looked miserable.

Elsa, however, took this chance to attack. "Then tell us, Mr. Jorgenson, where were you during the crime? I've actually gotten alibis for everyone except for you."

But, that's a lie. She never got an alibi from me or Jack... why would she lie like that? Was she trying to pressure Snotlout to talk?

"I... I was in my room when it happened.", he offered, feebly. Elsa merely scoffed.

"Really now? Then can you explain why were you **soggy, covered in mud and looking worse for wear**?"

Snotlout's face dropped as he heard the silver-haired girl's question. "Well, t-that's-"

"I can tell you why." interrupted Elsa, a smug smile on her lips, "Because you were at the crime scene." A stunned silence fell over the courtroom as she spoke. "You will all recall that it **rained** yesterday..."

"Sandy's body was wet and there were muddy footprints everywhere...", said Jack as he held a hand to his temple, his gaze unfocused.

Elsa nodded. "So it stands to reason that the killer would be anyone who is in the same conditions, yes?" The Ultimate Figure Skater's gaze suddenly sharpened as she focused her glare on Snotlout. "Mr. Jorgenson, you're the killer! Admit it!"

"N-no! I... DIDN'T DO IT!", was all Snotlout could say as his knees visibly wobbled.

Elsa's eyes held nothing but contempt for the Ultimate Heavy Lifter. "Then, can you explain why you were found in such a state?"

At this question, the dark-haired teen tensed. "I-I can't...", he said softly as he hung his head low, his face hidden from all of us.

"I rest my case". Said Elsa as she stood up straight after leaning on her booth once again during her interrogation.

Flynn merely whistled, North nodding in approval.

"S-so Snotlout really did it...?", asked Fishlegs, apparently breathless from Elsa's attack on Snotlout.

"Looks that way..." said Aster as he looked at the Ultimate Figure Skater with new-found admiration.

"So... is it OK if we start the voting already?", asked Rapunzel, looking at the hunched figure of the burly teen.

This...

This didn't feel right...

Snotlout was the killer because he was wet and dirty? He was at the crime scene based on these facts? But that's just circumstantial evidence. And yet, everything points to Snotlout. Even Sandy's ElectroID, which was removed from the crime scene, was found near Snotlout's cottage. So... did he really do it?

Or... is this the true culprit's trap? Is Snotlout being framed? By who?

But I can't prove that right now. If I just say he's being framed without any evidence, they won't listen to me. Maybe... I should start by discrediting Elsa's argument.

But how? Her whole argument rides on the fact **that Snotlout was at the crime scene**. If only I could prove **who** was at the crime scene.

...Wait! That's it!

...I can't believe I'm defending Snotlout...

"Wait!", I shout louder than I intend to, but I get the desired effect. Everyone is looking at me now. Right, OK. "Are we sure Snotlout was at the crime scene when the crime happened?"

Elsa's face became an emotionless mask as she heard my question. "Mr. Haddock, please don't ask such meaningless questions."

"I'm sorry, Hic, but she's right.", says Jack, his face filled with subdued anger as he glared at Snotout, his knuckles white as he gripped the edges of his booth.

"Yeah, Hiccup, just accept it. Snotlout did it.", said Astrid avoiding my face. Was she embarrassed of me?

"No, I won't! B-because... I can prove Snotlout wasn't at the crime scene!", or so I hope.

The atmosphere suddenly turned charged with expectation as everyone's attention focused on me. Elsa merely arched an eyebrow. "Oh? And how will you do that?"

Right, here goes nothing... "Aster.", I faced the Ultimate Survivalist. "Did you get everyone's** footprints** like we asked you?"

Aster's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh yeah!", the teen fumbled for his ElectroID. "Got everyone's but Snotface's here." With Odin's blessing and perhaps my Ultimate Lucky Student talent activating, I managed to catch Aster's ElectroID as he threw it at me.

"What's this about, Mr. Haddock?", asked Elsa, confused.

"Well, you argue that Snotlout is the killer because he was at the crime scene, right?", I said as I looked at the detailed drawings of everyone's footprint samples stored in the device, "Because he was wet and muddy, right? So naturally, if he was at the crime scene, he would've had** left his footprints in the mud**, correct?"

"Get to the point already!", shouted Tuffnut, exasperated.

"Yes, your ramblings are wasting our time, Mr. Haddock." Wow. Elsa agreeing with Tuff...

"Well, there were **two sets of footprints** left in the mud at the crime scene. If we can figure out who they belong to using these footprint samples Aster collected for me, we'll be able to figure out who the killer is!", I said as I showed the device to Elsa.

"Whoa!", shouted Flynn, impressed, "Nicely done, Hiccup!"

"Indeed! That is what I call dedication!", applauded North.

"I was the one who got 'em, y'know...", mumbled Aster.

"And for that, I thank you." I really had to suppress my smirk as I saw Elsa's stunned face. "Alright everyone, line up. We're gonna compare your footprints with the ones from the crime scene."

One by one, everyone compared their footwear's footprints to the ones from the crime scene; from Astrid's combat boots, to Rapunzel's... bare feet, to my own sneakers, everyone went to through the test. Jack and I already knew that one of the footprints in the crime scene belonged to Sandy... but the other one...

Finally, Snotlout's turn came. The Ultimate Heavy Lifter looked tense as I started the comparison.

...To my relief... Snotlout's shoes DIDN'T match with the other footprint in the crime scene. But... Oh Gods... oh Gods...!

"So, what are the results, Mr. Haddock?", asked Elsa, unusually tense.

"Snotlout's footprints... didn't match.", I said, just like I had hoped. I would have relished Elsa's expression if it weren't for the thing I just had uncovered. I vaguely heard Snotlout sigh in relief.

"Hic...? What's wrong?", asked Jack as he saw my face, worried.

"Did you find somethin' else?", asked Merida. I stiffly nodded.

"The thing is...** none of the footprints matched the ones in the crime scene**.", and just like that, everyone froze. But... that wasn't the only thing I found out. "Except for one. Sandy's footprints."

"But what is wrong about that?", asked Peter puzzled at my behavior.

"Yeah... Mr. Sandy was at the crime scene when he... died, right?", said Rapunzel.

"Yeah b-but...", I paused to gulp and consider if I should say what I found out. There were two sets of footprints in the crime scene. One of them started randomly from the bush and never left the crime scene, the other started in the crime scene but actually exited the Meeting Spot. "Sandy's footprints... match **the ones that leave the Meeting Spot."**

Silence. That's all that existed as everyone slowly digested my findings. It didn't make any sense, yet our clues told us this:

Our murder victim actually left the crime scene.

...Just what on Thor's name is going on?!

"Hiccup, are you sure?!", asked North, clearly bewildered.

"There must be a mistake...", said Tooth, looking at North, worried.

"So... it really was Snotlout then?", asked Ruffnut.

"But his footprints didn't match...", said Anna in a whisper.

"And now there's a footprint that doesn't belong to anyone and apparently our corpse walked away from the crime scene?", said Flynn with his brow furrowed.

"B-but that's impossible...! Corpses can't walk...!" shouted Fishlegs.

"Eeek! Zombie attack?!", said Monobear, obviously enjoying our confusion. Please, don't talk now. You'll only make things worse.

"Do you see what you've caused, Mr. Haddock?", said Elsa confrontationally, "Your so called evidence has thrown this debate into chaos!"

None of this makes sense. And yet, Aster's evidence isn't faulty. So... what am I doing wrong? Am I overlooking something?

...First, I need to calm down and analyze these inconsistencies one by one. Maybe that way, I'll figure out something. Alright... I'll tackle the most outrageous thing first.

Something clearly impossible has happened; a corpse left footprints on the mud and left the crime scene. Yet the clues tell us that's what happened. So then... how did that come to pass? Clearly, a corpse can't move, and yet those footprints still appeared.

I lock eyes with Jack, who is also looking at me, despite how obvious it is that he's thinking about this too.

Looking at him, my mind gears start to shift. Memories of our investigation return to me. A **way for Sandy to leave those footprints**...** Sandy's cottage**... the **state of the corpse**...

That's it!

"I think... I know how Sandy left those footprints...", I begin, uncertain. Suddenly, Jack's eyes light up with understanding and with a nod, he starts speaking too.

"During our investigation, we found **Sandy's ElectroID**..."

"I was the one who found it", supported Flynn.

"Right." I nodded at Jack before continuing. "It was found at the Rec Area, far away from the body."

"We assume the killer **stole** it...", said Jack, picking up from where I left.

Everyone's eyes shifted to Flynn, but the Ultimate Thief quickly put up his hands. "Hey! I don't pillage corpses! Besides, do you think the killer would've given that clue to you guys? C'mon!"

"In a-any case,", I said before I lost my train of thought, "We used it to investigate Sandy's cottage."

"Yeah, and in there we found something quite peculiar...", said Jack as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms, "You see... Sandy's ElectroID wasn't **the only thing missing** from the body."

"That's right", I said as I put a hand under my chin, "Sandy's body... was missing it's **shoes**. And we found his shoes** IN the cottage**."

"So how did Sandy's **ElectroID and shoes end up far away from him** and how did a **corpse leave footprints behind** even though he wore no shoes?", said Jack as he asked that leading question.

I smiled. Thanks to him... I managed to figure out this mystery! "The answer is simple. If it's impossible for a corpse to move, then there's only one other explanation. The killer not only stole Sandy's ElectroID, he also stole his shoes! And so, he left those footprints... by wearing them! And using Sandy's ElectroID..."

"The killer** entered Sandy's cottage** and **hid the shoes there!**", finished Jack, excitedly.

"And... that's the truth behind the corpse's apparent post-mortem locomotion.", I said with a smile, to everyone's stunned faces.

Once again, Flynn whistled, his eyes wide.

"That was some impressive teamwork there!", shouted Tooth, clapping with excitement. Both Jack and I blushed at the compliment. I don't know what... happened back there but I could get used to this kind of joint reasoning.

"Ew.", interrupted Monobear, "If you guys are done messing around, I suggest you guys continue with the class trial. Before I lose my patience AND my lunch."

"So... where does that leave us?", asked Astrid.

"Yeah. I don't understand why the killer had to use such an elaborate trick.", said Anna biting her thumb, "I mean, it makes sense, but why?"

"And what about the **other footprint**?", asked Peter.

Right. The other footprint... We still don't know who it belongs to... and I don't think I can identify it with what we have right now. I should probably return to that one later. But as the reason why the killer took this course of action... I can answer that.

"Well, I have no idea to who the mystery footprint belongs to, but I think we can agree it isn't Snotlout's". Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Snotlout reluctantly smiling at my defense. "But as for why the killer decided to wear Sandy's shoes and move them... I think it's obvious that the Blackened is trying to **confuse us**. Throw us off."

Yeah. That's it. So far, the true culprit has hidden it's identity well. Planting fake clues using the victim's shoes, using a different shoe type when they committed the crime to hide their presence... they even went so far as to try to frame Snotlout for the crime. All to shield themselves.

"Well, they did good, because I have no idea what's going on.", complained Ruffnut.

"This black hearted devil certainly **planned this crime thoroughly**.", said North as he rubbed his chin.

"I have to agree", said Elsa as she let out a puff of air, "This crime was **planned so well**... it even made me jump to conclusions and made me think Mr. Jorgenson did it."

"The bastard probably **planned** to** lure Sandy** as well... Just how much did the killer thought about this?", said Flynn, annoyed.

But wait...

It's true that the killer is crafty, but... they planned everything? No, that's...

"Actually, that's wrong.", I said suddenly. This crime... this killing... wasn't planned. Because there was no way the killer would've know about the victim's plans for the night. In fact, none of us knew until we investigated Sandy's cottage. "The killer didn't lure Sandy nor was this crime planned. Sure, the killer's trickery and cover-up work was well thought... but the murder itself? It was impossible to plan for it."

"What do you mean, Hiccup?", asked Merida.

"When we investigated Sandy's cottage, we found his diary. In it, Sandy wrote that he would take a walk to clear his mind.", I paused to breathe, "Nowhere in the diary does he mention he's going to meet someone. A killer can't plot to kill a victim if they don't even know that the victim was going to show up. It can't be done, at all."

"Unless you have a sword that can show you the future! Y'know, like in that famous JRPG for that famous family-friendly console of 2007, Xeno-!", interrupted Monobear, but North silenced him before he could finish his random outburst.

"If what yer sayin' is true, ankle-biter," said Aster, "then why did Sandy wind up dead? Yer sayin' this murder wasn't planned and yet someone clearly prepared themselves to kill. Sandy himself proves that."

"And yet, Hiccup is indeed correct," interjected Peter. "If Sandy's walk to the crime scene was impromptu, then the killer couldn't have possibly conspired to kill Sandy, because they couldn't have possibly known about Sandy's movements before the crime happened."

So what gives? The killer obviously prepared to kill someone... they got a spear and a different pair of shoes than the ones they normally use to hide their presence...

"W-what if... the killer was aiming to kill **someone else**, but they failed?", suddenly Jack spoke up, looking serious and in deep thought. "And... Sandy ended up witnessing the whole thing. The killer probably... had to silence him."

"So you're saying Mr. Sandy was killed by **chance**?!", said Rapunzel with a gasp.

"Man, talk about being in a bad place at a bad time...", mumbled Flynn.

"But it makes sense. I think that's... what happened.", said Fishlegs. "I'm 90% sure."

So Sandy was killed on a whim, because he saw the murderer getting ready to commit a crime? That's... seriously unfair. But as Fishlegs said, it makes sense. But now the question is... who was the killer's original target?

"So if Sandy wasn't the** intended victim**, who was it?", asked North, looking suddenly authoritative. "Please, if any of you were threatened last night, step forward! Your testimony may prove to be vital to the case!"

To my surprise, no one spoke up. But why? I'm... sure we're in the right track. But then... why isn't anyone speaking up?! This could be our chance to figure out who the culprit is and yet no one's speaking! Is... someone trying to cover for the murderer?

Monobear suddenly yawns, interrupting the continued silence. "What? No further arguments? If you guys are done debating, we can always proceed to Voting Time.", said the Headmaster as he scratched his rear lazily.

This is bad...! If we don't continue debating, the trial will end... and the truth will elude us! We need to come up with a new topic, and fast! But what can we discuss...?! Odin, if you're real, then please, give a signal, anything to continue this trial!

"Hey, I was wondering about something..."

...Odin, I didn't want the signal to be Tuffnut!

"So like," continued the blonde, with an even more confused look in his face than usual, "What's the murder weapon?"

I had to suppress a groan. Seriously? Was he even paying attention to the trial?!

"Ugh, Tuffnut, are ya daft?!", asked Merida clearly exasperated, "We already established that Sandy was** hung** with the flagpole's string!"

To my surprise, Tuff actually looked offended. "Nuh uh, you guys are dumb. That thing isn't the murder weapon at all, it's **something else.**"

What? Why is he so sure about his claim? Did Tuff actually... figure something out?

"What are you rambling about, Mr. Thorston?.", said Elsa, rubbing her forehead as if to assuage a headache, "The Monobear file clearly reads that the victim died by **strangulation**. How does that not match the murder weapon we all agreed on?"

"Wow, and we thought she was smart.", said Ruff suddenly, her eyes twinkling with... understanding? Did she also figure out the same thing as Tuff?

"Dumber than the brick wall we dynamited yesterday", said Tuff, nodding at his sister's words.

"Would you guys get to the point already?!", shouted Astrid, suddenly looking out of herself. Huh...?

"Ugh. You guys... you keep saying that Sandy **died by hanging**, but the Monobear File says **he died by strangulation**.", said Tuffnut with a scowl. "That's a big difference there."

I had to mentally slap myself for not noticing that. Of course! We've been wrong on the murder weapon all the time! And to think that we wouldn't have noticed if Tuff hadn't spoken up!

...Guess Odin's signal was good after all.

"Is... uh, there any difference?", asked Jack, unsure, "I mean, both entail tying something on the neck to kill, right?"

"Not quite, Jackson.", said Peter as he explained, "Though similar in execution, these two methods of killing cause death in different ways. Strangulation causes death by tying up something on a person's neck, sure, but hanging doesn't do this. Death by hanging is actually attributed to the weight of the person's body pulling on the noose. Gravity does all the work. The 'wounds' they leave are also quite different. Strangulation leaves bruises, while hanging leaves broken trachea and-"

"OK I get it! Enough!", said Jack, looking a bit green.

"Were there any of those wounds on the body?", asked Tooth.

I nodded. "Yeah... I... found both bruises and broken bones on his body." The body WAS hanged after all. "It's a good thing we have the Monobear file or else we wouldn't have known what the true cause of death was."

"More of the killer's traps, perhaps?", suggested Elsa.

"As if the wounds in the body weren't distracting enough...", mumbled Flynn.

"So... like Mr. Tuffnut said... what was the murder weapon that took Mr. Sandy's life?", asked Rapunzel.

This is important. All along we were operating under a false assumption. But now that assumption has been revealed for the fake it is and now, we're presented with this question: What's the **true murder weapon**?

"Hey, Hic."

Jack's voice catches my attention. I look at the whitette, who gestures with a jerk of chin towards Toothless, who's been paying attention closely to our discussion. The Night Fury looks antsy... pacing in his booth. As if... he were trying to **tell me something**...

Hey! That's it!

I turn to Jack and nod. The fact that the Ultimate Mystery is smirking confidently tells me he has the same idea. I return his smirk with one of my own, and then I take a deep breath. Alright! Let's do this.

"During our investigation,", I began, catching everyone's attention at once, "we wondered something... **what caused Sandy's wounds**?"

"A certain Night Fury assisted us in answering that question", continued Jack, "And thanks to his efforts, we found the weapon that inflicted the wounds on our friend."

"A **spear**", I said.

"But not just any spear!" said Monobear suddenly from his throne, holding the silver weapon on his left paw with ease. How on Earth did he get that from the supermarket to here? "It's the Legendary Gugnir! As seen on TV and it can be yours for the modest price of 9999999999- ow! I bit my tongue..."

"A-anyway... this Gugnir was the thing that wounded our friend.", I continued, ignoring Monobear's antics.

"But are you saying that's the murder weapon?", asked Anna. With a smile, I nodded. Yes, I'm sure I'm right.

"No, that can't be it", said North, shaking his head, "We just established that Sandy died from strangulation."

"Yeah, whoever heard of strangling someone with a spear?", said Aster, an eyebrow arched at me.

"Oh, but that's were you're wrong, Bunny!", interjected Jack, looking at me with those bright blue eyes of his, brimming with confidence. "Hic is correct. Someone strangled Sandy with this Gugnir."

"Allow me to point out," I said as soon as I saw Elsa open her mouth, ready to object, "The **bottom of Gugnir.** Do you see it? **The long chord** attached to the base?"

"That... our friends,", continues Jack, "is the true murder weapon."

"The killer strangled our friend with Gugnir's chord and then proceeded to wound Sandy and hang the body to confuse us!", I pick up where Jack left.

"That's the truth behind Gugnir", finishes Jack, the confident smile never fading from his face.

We... did it again. I seriously shouldn't feel so happy at how in synch we are. It just feeds my stupid delusions and my crush on this dork. And yet... we bounce off each other so well. I feel like we can... solve any mystery thrown at us.

"Seriously? You guys did it AGAIN?", said Monobear as he looked down at us, "Geez, trigger the M-Rated scene on you guys' character route and be done with it already!"

W-what's his deal?! Why does he keep making those comments?!

"So that's the true murder weapon then?", asks Tooth.

"That's a mighty fine weapon, it is...", says Aster as he studies Gugnir with admiration.

"What's the chord for?", asks Rapunzel, eyeing the thing with fear.

"Oh, I've read about this!", said Fishlegs excitedly, "Believe it or not, these weapons are actually thrown at enemies! And the chord? It's to retrieve the spear without having to walk to the enemy! Like a harpoon!"

"That's right!", said Monobear cheerfully, "Fishy got it! Due to the weapon's dimensions and the type, however, Gugnir can't be wielded by a Lv. 1 Squire! No, only the **strongest** and most experienced **warriors** can even dare to touch it!"

I get it. You don't have to ramble... That weapon can't be used by any normal person. Only true warriors or whatever can use it. No need to make a big deal. And besides...

I believe that, surprisingly. I've used wooden spears before and I'm bad with those. I doubt I would be able to even lift Gugnir. So now the question is... who can?

There's certainly some people here who can use this weapon, but the million dollar question is: who used it?

I have a hunch... but no... I don't want to consider that possibility.

Because... there's no way! There's no way they're the killer! The thought... simply repulses me! So I must make sure... yes, I must explore every possibility before I jump to any conclusions... I just hope my hunch isn't right.

So... if we want to find out the truth, we need all the information we can gather. Which means...

"So we've uncovered the murder weapon...", says Peter as he looks at the spear with a strange shine in his eyes, "But, now what?"

Merida speaks, "We know what REALLY killed Sandy but we don't know WHO did it still..."

We need to take this discussion in a different direction. One that we haven't touched.

I turn to face Snotlout. There's no way around this. If we want to find out the truth, he will need to talk. Maybe his testimony will lead us to the truth...

"Snotlout... we need you to tell us what happened to you last night.", I say slowly, trying to sound authoritative, "We need to know why you showed up like that and we need to know what were you doing."

The Ultimate Heavy Lifter looks scared as he realizes the spotlight is on him again. With wide-eyes and trembling lips, he half-shouts: "W-why do I have to do that?! Are you fucking suspecting me, f-fishbone?!"

I shake my head. "No, I know that you didn't do it. But if we want to find out who truly did it, we need to know everything about the crime. Even YOUR side of the story.", I pause and I look directly at Snotlout's eyes. "Please, if not for our sake, then at least for yours?"

The Ultimate Heavy Lifter looks deeply troubled as he fidgets in place, clearly afflicted with whatever thoughts that cross his mind, sweat visible on his forehead. After minutes of grueling silence, Snotlout nods with a tiny movement, one that I would've missed if I weren't staring at him intently.

"Alright fishbone... I'll talk.", Snotlout says curtly, looking at the floor.

In my mind, I do a tiny fist pump. We're finally getting somewhere!

"Snotty's gonna talk?", says Monobear suddenly, "Geez, I really pity you guys... but since I'm such a nice guy... How about a small break before you guys get forced to hear him out? Y'know... clear your minds a bit, relax, collect your thoughts... You're near the end, so it wouldn't do if you guys collapsed from exhaustion you know?"

What is he... talking about?

"So yeah! Take a small breather, you guys! We're near the grand finale! I can't wait for the thrilling conclusion of this Class Trial... right after the break!"

- **MONOBEAR THEATER -**

"Hey, so! Have you heard? I recently launched my very own line of snacks! They're emblazoned with my cute face and everything! As a mascot, I'm legally obliged to sell products with my face and fully endorse the spirit of capitalism!"

"But y'know... they haven't actually been selling that great... is my time as a mascot character over? Am I past my prime?"

"Huh? You think products would sell better if I changed my slogan? But what's better than 'Guaranteed to not kill you 1 out 10 times'?! Are you saying that my slogan is too extreme?!"

"Well, I refuse to change it. I'll stick with it until it starts selling. After all, that's the spirit of capitalism!"

* * *

"Aaand we're back! Aah... don't you guys feel refreshed after that break? I know I do!"

Who... is Monobear talking to?!

"Anyways", says Monobear, not stopping to explain, "Get on with it, you bastards. Time to hear Snotty babble our lives away! Puhuhuh!"

"Please, Snotlout, ignore that fiendish creature and do go on", says North as he rubs his forehead. The Ultimate Heavy Lifter nods and after taking a deep breath, begins talking.

"I... after what happened at the Quiz thing... I went back to my cottage. I... was thinking about stuff."

"How unlikely! Nyohohoho!", interrupted Monobear, mockingly.

"Shut up!", shouted Snotlout at the bear, looking flushed. "A-anyway! I was there in my room, mulling things over, when a buzz in my pocket caught my attention."

This... is also catching my attention. Is that buzz...?

"Turns out my ElectroID was doing the noise. I checked it out and to my surprise, I got a message from... **someone**." said Snotlout, hesitating a bit during the last part.

"What did the message say?", asked Rapunzel.

"Err... I don't remember how it went.", answered Snotlout, his brow furrowed in thought, "But... the gist of it was all like 'meet me at the Meeting Spot. i need to tell you something important.'"

Someone groaned. I looked around for who had interrupted and I saw Aster face palm.

"And let me guess,", said the Ultimate Survivalist, "you went to meet this fella, didn't you?"

"Yeah", said Snotlout without realizing how stupid his actions were, "why wouldn't I?"

"Uh... Snotlout... the killer basically was luring you!" I shouted at the brown-haired boy, who paled a bit as he realized what we were saying.

"Shut the hell up! There's... there's no way **they** would that!", said Snotlout, still refusing to say any names. He's... covering for the killer? But why?

"M-moving on!", said the Ultimate Heavy Lifter hastily, "I went to the Meeting Spot as soon as I got the message... I think it was like **midnight**? I don't remember exactly... but it **wasn't raining** when I arrived."

"Wait, **midnight**?", I interrupted, confused, "But I thought it rained earlier than that... I mean, I heard the rain but I didn't when it started... **I thought it started before 10 PM because I never heard the Night Time announcement...**"

"Now that you mention it", said Tooth, "neither did I."

"I may or may not have fallen asleep before I made the announcement.", said Monobear, smiling cheekily, "I'm not a machine, y'know? I need my beauty rest or I'll ruin my charismatic mascot image!"

OK, so there was no Monobear announcement that night. Crud... that means I lost track of time thinking about and drawing Jack... this is embarrassing.

"Well... after I arrived there," said Snotlout as he continued his tale, "I waited for about 20 minutes. **No one** showed up, though. So I thought that... they... wouldn't be coming, so I just left."

Well, that kinda explains why Snotlout didn't leave footprints.

"As I was making my way to my cottage, it started to rain.", said the Ultimate Heavy Lifter with a scrunched up face, clearly displeased with the memory, "so I ran to my cottage to cover myself. But... I **couldn't** enter it."

"Why?", asked Anna.

"Because... **I lost my ElectroID**." said Snotlout embarrassed.

Oh yeah... we can only access our cottage with our ElectroIDs.

"So yeah, I was left out in the rain all night long. And I couldn't **sleep because of those fucking rules** either... so I just wandered over to the restaurant and stayed there. And that's all I did yesterday.", said Snotlout, finishing his testimony.

So that's why he looked wet, muddy, and tired. Man, Monobear's rule really screwed him over.

But thanks to this... I now have **a way** to unmask the killer.

"Ugh, this was a waste of time.", groaned Ruffnut.

"Yeah, we only like, heard how Snotlout got duped, dumped and damp. No clues for the killer's identity at all.", said Tuff.

"So, is there really no way to find out who did it?", asked Tooth, worried.

"No... there's... a way.", I said. I'm sure now. Snotlout **knows the truth**. And yet... he keeps covering it up. I don't know why he's doing it... but his lies will be exposed. And I know how to do so, thanks to a detail in his story.

"What do you mean, Hic?", asked Jack, looking lost. Huh... guess it IS up to me.

I turned to face Snotlout, and steeled myself to confront him. Here goes...

"Snotlout... you **know who the killer is**... don't you?", I said, and at that accusation, the guy paled.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about...", says the Ultimate Heavy Lifter as he averts his eyes from my face.

"Look, Snotlout," I said as I leaned on my booth, tense, "I know you know who the killer is. Whoever **summoned** you with that **message** to the Meeting Spot is the killer. And the **name of the sender** is always on **all the messages sent by ElectroID**, so even if you try to cover it up, we can find out who is it by **simply looking at that** **message**."

The Ultimate Heavy Lifter tensed up with nervousness, realizing that I was right. "T-too bad I lost it...", he said with a hollow laugh.

"Where did you lose it?", asked Peter, his eyes scanning the hulking boy.

"If I knew that, it wouldn't be lost, right?", said Snotlout with a huff, "All I know is... that I still had it **before I left the Meeting Spot**... because I kept checking the hour."

So... Snotlout probably dropped it during one of those times he took it out to check the hour. Which means **his ElectroID was at the crime scene..**. and yet... neither Jack or I **found a trace of it...**

"Did any of you guys found it?", asked Fishlegs.

"The only one I found was Sandy's." said Flynn. Everybody else also denied to have seen it.

But... that has to be a lie. If Snotlout **dropped his ElectroID at the crime scene and no one picked it up, we would have seen it.** And yet, no one saw it? That's... highly unlikely.

So, where is it? Where is the ElectroID?

...! Wait...

"Isn't it odd?", I began, "I mean... if Snotlout dropped his ElectroID somewhere, wouldn't we have found it? And yet it's nowhere to be found..."

"Maybe it got broken and swept away?", said Merida

"Impossible!", interrupted Monobear, "My ElectroIDs are state-of-the-art! They can withstand pressure of a 100 tons and they're water, fire, and explosion proof! I know how rowdy teens can get, so I made them extra-durable!"

"Man... we have to test those claims out!", said Tuff as he exchanged an evil smile with his twin.

"So, anyway,", I continued, "if it's not broken, and it's nowhere in the camp... the only reasonable thing left is this: someone DID pick up the ElectroID AND still has it."

"But Mr. Hiccup", said Rapunzel, "we all just admitted we didn't pick it up."

"Then one of us lied.", I answered back.

"But who would lie at a crucial moment like this?", asked North, looking outraged.

"Someone... who** is inconvenienced by the existence of that ElectroID and its contents.**..", I said slowly, collecting my thoughts and trying to make coherent sentences, "Someone who also picked it up to hide the truth..."

"The killer...", said Jack breathlessly, his eyes wide. I nod at the whitette. He's right on the money.

"Who is it?! Who's the killer!?", asks Merida fiercely, her eyes boring into mine.

This is it. After this, there's no turning back.

After this... I will find out if my hunch.. was correct.

"We can find out easily who that person is... right now.", I say as I gulp with anticipation. "We just need to **send a message to Snotlout's ElectroID and hear for that buzzing sound.**"

"And whoever has it is the killer.", interrupts Elsa, a small grin on her face. "That is a very fascinating theory, Mr. Haddock. Shall we put it to the test?", and with a calm movement, the Ultimate Figure Skater brings out her own ElectroID.

I nod at her and she proceed to type away a message.

I close my eyes to focus on the sound only, waiting in silence for it.

Seconds feels like hours as Elsa writes the message, the tension in the room only matched by the silence. But it's a different kind of silence. It's charged with anticipation.

One could literally cut the tension with a knife.

…

…

The buzz rings clearly in the silence of the room.

I slowly turn my head to the direction of the sound and I hesitantly open my eyes to see the killer.

...And I curse all the Gods I know.

Because... **because my hunch is right. It was right.**

Because... right now I'm looking at Astrid Hofferson, holding the buzzing ElectroID on her hand, and not looking at us, her face partially hidden by her bang of blonde hair.

My mouth is dry as I speak, not wanting to... refusing... to believe this.

"Astrid... you're the killer."

I wait for her to deny it, to get mad. I wait for the punch in my arm she always throws when she's messing around! I wait for her to do anything!

Anything but just standing there, not refuting the accusation.

But the girl doesn't do anything, at all.

She just stands there, looking at the floor as she holds her left arm with her right hand, not speaking.

"W-what in the world are you sayin', Hiccup?!", shouts Merida, looking aghast, "T-there's no way Astrid did it! H-how can you say that?!"

"B-but she has Snotlout's ElectroID...", I offer, taken aback by the red-head's outburst.

"And it makes sense,", says Peter suddenly, "She is the Ultimate Warrior. Wielding Gugnir should be child's play for her."

"That's not enough to say she's the killer!", shouts Merida, looking angry now, "Even North and Snotlout can lift that thing!", she then turns to me, glaring holes into my face, "A-and what if Elsa made a mistake and sent Astrid a message by accident instead of sendin' it to Snotlout?!"

"There's... an easy way to see to whom the ElectroID belongs to.", says Jack, looking shaken by the revelation. His eyes move from Merida to Astrid, and I see his features harden. "Astrid. Show us the ElectroID.", he demands.

One moment, I'm seeing the device on Astrid's hand, and in another I see the device disappear in a black and white blur. I blink and I see Monobear standing on in front of my booth, smiling widely while offering me the ElectroID. I instinctively take a step back, but I take the device from the bear regardless. The Headmaster jumps off from my booth towards his throne and lands with ease on it, looking smug and excited. Even now... he shows off... as if this were a simple game.

I hesitate a bit before turning on the device on my hand. It flashes briefly for a second before it shows Snotlout's face and name. Without a doubt, this is Snotlout's ElectroID. And also...

I fiddle with it for a second and I find the IM section. To my relief, the message Snotlout got from the killer is still there. And to my despair, the sender of the message is actually... Astrid.

I show the ElectroID and the IM to everyone. I can see how slowly, but surely, they start to believe my conclusion as they see what I show them. All but Merida, who is still shaking her head side-to-side, vehemently denying what I'm saying.

"You're wrong! T-that's... not proof that she was the killer... b-because...," says the Ultimate Archer, stammering and struggling to find out a way to bail out Astrid, her eyes darting here and there as she grabs her hair. "B-because...! Because you can't prove she was at the crime scene!" she finally says, a bit excited.

"But Ms. Merida...", says Rapunzel, looking worried.

"No! I won't... I won't accept that my friend... I won't accept that Astrid is the killer!", Merida shouts, close to tears, "I won't let you guys vote! Because I... I know she's innocent!"

I close my eyes, unable to keep looking at her acting like this. I... know how she feels. I truly do. I also want to believe Astrid didn't do it, because she's my friend! But if I don't do this... we'll all die. And that's why... I have to put an end to this.

"Well?", asks Peter, "You heard the girl. If we want to end this satisfactorily... we need to prove without a shadow of a doubt that Astrid **was at the crime scene**."

"But how can we do that?", asks Anna.

"Haven't **we discussed everything there is to discuss**?", asks Fishlegs.

"Well, not really...", says Jack as he bites his thumb, not looking at Merida nor Astrid, "There's still that **mysterious footprint** at the crime scene. I think... we can agree that it belongs to the killer, right?"

That's true. We still don't know who's footprint is it. But...

"But, like, didn't we already compare that footprint with everyone's?", says Tuffnut with a shrug.

"Yeah, none of them matched with it.", comments Ruff.

"We don't even need to look at **Astrid's boots** to see that it doesn't match the mysterious footprint", adds Flynn. "The boot is **far too big**."

"So does that mean Ms. Astrid is innocent?", says Rapunzel, looking at all of us for an answer.

"We can't just discard all the evidence Mr. Haddock has graciously provided, though." says Elsa, to my surprise. She's... taking my side for once?

"But you heard the redhead!", says Snotlout, glaring at me, "If we can't prove Astrid was at the crime scene, we won't vote! Not even if the fishbone says so!". Great. And I thought we were getting alone a little. Guess I'm not saving this guy any more. And on top of that, he keeps trying to cover for her!

"It seems we are at standstill unless we can verify the footprint's owner...", says North, his beefy arms crossed over as he thinks about the situation.

But... is there a way to prove that the footprint belongs to Astrid? If my deductions are correct... she's the killer, even if I don't want to believe it. So that footprint belongs to her. And yet, it doesn't match her footwear at all.

Think, Haddock! Think! There... must be something! Something I'm forgetting! Something vital!

C'mon, brain! You're not Ultimate-quality but you're my best quality! Give me something!

…

A vision... a memory starts forming in my mind. The supermarket slowly forms in my mind. And then. A conversation. It's the day of the party...

* * *

_"So, what about you, Astrid? Are you done preparing for the party?", I asked, trying to move on._

_"Oh yeah. Got that done already. I'm actually looking for shoes.", she said as she tapped her boots with her right hand. "Wearing these every day is kinda tiring so I'm getting something more appropriate for the party._

* * *

…

That's it. I got it. With this... I can prove to who the footprint belongs to... and end this once and for all.

"I... know, how we can find out who the owner of the mystery footprint is." I say, and at this, Merida glares at me, her scowl filled with anger. And it hurts, it hurts me more than anything else. Because I'm sure of it... she hates me now. But I... must do this.

"This... is something only I and Astrid know.", I begin slowly, taking deep breaths as I speak, "On the day of the party... as I went to the supermarket to get ready, I found someone else there.", And as I say this I gaze at the Ultimate Warrior. "Someone who was planning on buying shoes... shoes that they wore at the party... and that they wore when they killed Sandy... "

"And you're sayin' that the one who got new kicks was Astrid?", asks Aster.

I nod. "Yeah. And I'm sure the footprint that was left at the crime scene... matches her new shoes. That's why we couldn't figure out who left it. Because the shoe that left it wasn't here at all..."

Merida tries to say something but before she can, our Headmaster interrupts.

"And this is the part of the story where the hero arrives at the last minute and produces the decisive piece of evidence!", and as he says this, he throws a shoe caked in mud to the floor near Tooth. "A little snooping around Hoffy's cottage yielded this! I hope you're beary grateful... Ahahaha!

I guess this means he can enter pretty much anywhere he wants.

Tooth gingerly picks it up and hoists it for all of us to see. With a grim expression on her face, she gives it to me and I nod. It only takes a few seconds to compare the shoe with the mysterious footprint and it **matches.** This... pretty much cements it.

Astrid... is the killer. There's... no way around it.

I share the revelation with everyone and that does it. Even Merida... loses her will to fight back. I can see it in her eyes, brimming with tears. Even though she doesn't want to admit it, in the face of all the proof against Astrid... she can't say anything.

I turn to the after mentioned blonde, who has kept quiet through everything, still holding the same pose. I gulp loudly before speaking, sweat sliding from my forehead.

"So... how about it...? Am I right, Astrid?"

She slightly flinches and for the first time, she looks at me, her blue eyes dull and unfocused. She smiles and laughs, a hollow noise, devoid of any actual happiness. "Heh... well done, Berkian Warrior."

Nothing more is said. A silence unlike anything before fills the courtroom, full with a sense of finality.

...

Monobear breaks that silence.

"Hmm? Are you done? Have you reached your conclusion? No more objections?". No one says anything. "Well then! It's Voting Time!"

A noise in my booth makes me look down, and in front of me appears a screen with our names on it.

"Please cast your vote by touching the name of the killer on the screen! Oh, and before you think about it... let me remind you that you guys HAVE to vote. Not voting is punishment-worthy! So please make sure to select something, OK?", explains the Headmaster, relishing on the subject.

"Now then... what will it be? Will you guys pick the true culprit? Or will you guys make the dreadfully wrong choice? I can't wait! I can't waaait! Now... let's give it our all, because it's Voting Time!"

I close my eyes, a feeling of regret in my heart, and slowly, I make my choice.

As soon as we all make our selection, a giant slot machine appears behind Monobear. Each of the reels spins impossibly fast for a few seconds before slowing down and stopping on Astrid's mugshot. The slot machine starts to flash and a fanfare plays loudly. Confetti starts to rain down on the courtroom and cheers can be heard all around us, even though the room is devoid of any audience.

...Is this... Monobear's idea of celebrating? But this... is no reason to celebrate! We... just sent our friend to her death!

"You guys were right on the money!", says Monobear, laughing wildly from his throne as the slot machine descends into the floor, "Astrid Hofferson is the Blackened that took the life of dear young Sandy!"

Suddenly, Monobear's red eye lights up, and he shows us his black side once more as he speaks, "I guess I should tell you that the voting for her wasn't unanimous. MerMer... you should be more careful! If the voting wasn't so one sided, you could have killed everyone because of your wrong vote! Nyahaha!"

The redhead in question looks beyond herself, looking at Astrid with disbelief. The blonde in question isn't looking at us at all.

"W-why...", asks Merida in an uncharacteristic low voice, "WHY?! WHY ASTRID?! Why... did you do it?!", she yells now, the Ultimate Warrior flinching at every word as if she were hit. "I... I trusted you! I believed in you!", continues Merida, her tears finally starting to flow. "So... Why..?"

Astrid grimaces, but to my surprise, she actually looks at Merida. And she... starts to speak.

"I did it... because I was afraid."

"...When I heard Snotlout said that he was willing to sacrifice Hiccup, I truly got scared. I know its silly for a warrior like me, the Ultimate Warrior at that, to get scared by this... But I really was afraid to lose any of you, any of my friends."

Astrid suddenly pauses, and her dull eyes start to shine with a fierce determination.

"So that's why... I decided that I had to nip the problem at the bud, so to speak."

As she said that, I could see Snotlout looking heartbroken, finally believing my claims.

"But..." continued Astrid, and as she continued her confession, her eyes turned dull again, "Everything went wrong. I prepared beforehand and got the spear from the supermarket and then I sent the message to Snotlout to lure him to the Meeting Spot. And then I waited at the crime scene, hidden in a bush with Gugnir in hand. It was supposed to be a simple kill. No one had to know, but me. Only I had to bear the burden..."

"However... I hesitated. I thought I was ready to take someone's life to protect my friends, but even though I saw Snotlout there, waiting for me to show up... I couldn't do it. I panicked when I saw him starting to leave, and I threw Gugnir at him, but I was too late. He didn't even notice my attack; he had left. I left my hiding spot to retrieve the spear, and then I saw an ElectroID on the floor as I made my way there."

"And then... he appeared."

I gripped the edge of my booth. I didn't like where this was heading.

"I panicked. Sandy had arrived and he had seen me throw the spear, I thought. He had seen Snotlout leave, surely... it's what I thought... he would connect the dots quite easily. I started to freak out."

"I had done the act before I knew what happened. In a blur, I crossed the distance between and I... I did it. I moved almost robot-like, on pure instinct. He... didn't even fight back." And as she said that, I could see the regret etched on her face.

"I... panicked even more once I realized what I had done. This... wasn't supposed to happen. I had done something that I deeply regretted. And just like a little kid that made a mess, I tried to hide it."

"So that is why you did all of the tricks and crime scene manipulation?", asks Peter with his eyes closed, analyzing everything Astrid is saying. Her answer is a simple nod.

"But I... never intended for you guys to die. Believe me...", says Astrid, almost pleading, "if I had known the full extent... the full rules of the Class Trip of Mutual Killing... I wouldn't have done any of this! I did all of this... to protect you!" And as she says this, she looks at me specifically.

I have to look away. This... is too much! This... is incredibly unfair! Why?! Why did this have to happen...? This is too cruel!

"Puhuhuhu... but, is that really the **truth**?", interrupts Monobear, looking incredibly smug.

Jack, who was listening to Astrid's confession with a clenched jaw, looks at the Headmaster with a glare. "What the hell do you want now?"

"I'm just saying...", says Monobear with a malicious grin, "Hoffy needs to stop the selfless act! Because I know! I do, yes! I know Hoffy was tempted by my offer!"

...What?

"Time for a tiny history lesson!", begins Monobear with a mocking, all-knowing-like voice, "Did you know Hoffy is the sole heir of the warrior Hofferson tribe? She's also the only daughter of the chief! So naturally, she's fated to become the leader! And it's a very important position!"

"But, oh no! Hoffy's father suddenly gets sick! His condition gets worse and worse with every passing day, and yes... things aren't looking good for Hoffy! But then! Guess what? Hoffy gets an invitation from Hope's Peak Academy! Gasp!" says the Headmaster, greatly exaggerating his actions for theatrical effect.

"Despite her protests, Hoffy's father is no fool. He knows that if Hoffy goes to Hope's Peak Academy, she'll become not only a great chief, she'll bring great glory to the tribe! So he tells her to go, and after insisting and insisting, Hoffy finally agrees! And thus, despite her father's assurance that he will be OK, our dear Hoffy leaves for Hope's Peak Academy with worry in her heart! A worry that only grew as she became a participant in the Camp Trip of Mutual Killing! Puhuhuhu!"

"And I mean... how couldn't she?", he says, his snickering as he spoke growing louder and louder. "Especially when she learned that she had in fact had gone to Hope's Peak for more than a few days! Indeed, it had been more than a few years since she had left the tribe and she didn't have any idea of what became of her father... or rather... she couldn't remember at all! Nyahahaha!"

"N-no...", and for the first time in all my time with her, I saw Astrid's face fill slowly with fear, "Y-you're... wrong! That's not why I did... t-that wasn't..."

"Oh please!" Interrupted Monobear, his eye glinting brightly with delight as he torments the blonde, "You keep saying 'I did it for my friends!' but your self-grandiose façade won't fool me! No one that claims to be selfless... could have done that to her friends! Strangling and wounding someone like that... are the actions of someone who's willing to do anything... to fulfill their selfish wishes."

I want to shut up the bear. I want to defend Astrid's actions. I want to say he's wrong.

But I... I too have started to doubt her. And that... makes me sick.

No one rises to her defense. Not even Snotlout. Not even Merida.

And Astrid looks all alone. Miserable. And full of despair.

"But enough about the history lesson!", says Monobear, dropping the theatrics, "It's time to fulfill my OTHER teacher duties! That's right! It's Punishment Time!"

Punishment... Execution... Death.

I look at Astrid, but to my surprise, she doesn't look afraid. Not anymore. It was as if Monobear's decree had given her a sense of resolve.

"W-wait... wait, you useless doll..!", its Merida who looks scared instead.

"I won't wait! I've been looking forward to this and I won't let you guys ruin my fun!", says Monobear, looking gleeful.

"No... please! Stop!", begs the redhead, but Monobear continues unabated.

"Now then, I prepared a very special Punishment for Astrid Hofferson, the Ultimate Warrior who lost her composure as soon as she lost control of the situation!"

"I'm beggin' ya! Don't!", Merida's pleas rise in desperation, but Monobear is only fueled more by her screams.

"Let's give it everything we got! Iiiiiit's Punishment Tiiiime!" says the Headmaster with a high, excitement-filled voice.

"Everyone...", says Astrid, her calm demeanor at odds with the situation, "I won't ask you to forgive me." Jack scoffs as she says that, "But please... at least promise me this... don't repeat the mistakes I did... don't allow Mutual Killing to happen ever again..."

And with those last words, and with Merida's pleas unheard, Monobear summons a weird device with a screen and a big red button on top of it, and as the machine rises in front of him, he brings out a tiny hammer and brings it down on the red button, pressing it. The screen on the device comes alive and the following is displayed on the screen.

**GAME OVER**

**ASTRID HOFFERSON HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY. STARTING PUNISHMENT.**

A cheesy, pixelated animation of Monobear dragging Astrid away is shown as well. But that... doesn't begin to describe what really is happening.

Suddenly, the ceiling of the courtroom opens, and from the gaping darkness descends a metallic claw and with a swift movement, the contraption grabs Astrid by the waist and drags her away roughly. Away from us.

* * *

**Punishment: Astrid's Hofferson A-Maze-ing Escape! **

* * *

An empty arena can be seen. Astrid finds herself right in the middle of it, her stance tense. She looks around for anything, anybody, but the arena is empty. Suddenly, from the audience's seat, Monobear appears, grinning widely with a button on his hand. He slowly lifts his paw before suddenly slamming the button and after doing that, from the ground of the arena around Astrid, wooden walls start rising noisily, forming a maze around the blonde who looks scared.

With another press of the button, Monobear opens a door at the far end of the arena, and from it... comes out something I recognize too well.

Blue scales, a pair of powerful legs armed with sharp talons, a pair of wings and a bird like stance. A Deathly Nadder comes out of the door, and with a roar it storms towards the maze... towards Astrid's position.

The blonde reacts as soon as she hears the roar, and she sprints, trying to find an exit out of the maze. However, the dragon is fast. Way too fast. It gains on her and even though Astrid is fast on her feet, she gets a burn from the Nadder's fire blast. Still, she manages to lose the dragon after a quick turn, and after wandering about for a few seconds, she finds it.

The exit.

However, as she makes a run for it, the exit suddenly disappears. A wall shifts, closing it.

Monobear's ugly laugh can be heard from the audience's seat, his paw on the button.

Astrid doesn't have a second to rest, though. The Nadder finds her again, and she has to run for it again.

After more evasive maneuvers and more wounds from the beast, she finds the exit again. And like before, with a press of a button, Monobear moves the exit away from her.

The process repeats itself again and again, the Headmaster never allowing the Ultimate Warrior to get close to the exit.

And then, by mere chance, Astrid ends running past the exit after the sixth change. She realizes this and tries to return to it. But Monobear doesn't let her. With another button press, a wall rises in front of Astrid, who falls to her knees, exhausted and hurt.

More walls start to rise around her, trapping her in a small room.

Only a few moments later, the Nadder reaches Astrid, and with a swift jump, it climbs the walls that surround her. The dragon looks down at her for only a second before jumping into Astrid's prison, its roars barely silencing the screams of pain as the Nadder does short work of the blonde.

* * *

All of this... all of this... is shown to us from a screen that appeared in the courtoom as soon as Astrid was dragged away.

There are no words... for how sick and horrified I feel. Those screams... that scene... will always haunt me. How Monobear toyed mercilessly with her... dashing her hopes of escape at every turn. How terrified and beaten she looked... how broken...

I can't even bring myself to care about the fact that Monobear used a dragon on her punishment. I can't even dwell on the fact that he knows about our village's secret.

I feel... numb and empty.

"Extreeeeeme! That sure got my blood pumping!", says Monobear as he reappears in the courtroom, looking beyond himself with happiness. "Man, that felt good! But you know what's better than that! You! You guys look absolutely miserable and so full of despair...! I'm so... excited!"

Sobs and grim faces abound in the room. Everyone... is grieving and terrified... Even Jack... who was angry at Astrid for killing our friend... is obviously bothered by this, his face green and his eyes moist.

"Maaan! I can't wait for the next one!", says the Headmaster with a cheerful tone.

"How? How can you do this to us?!", ask North, angry. And yet, his eyes are red from the tears.

"Why... why are you making us do this?", ask Anna, her sobs barely disguised.

"Huh? I'm not making you guys do anything.", says Monobear with a confused tone, his head tilted to the side, "It's you bastards' fault. You can't let go of the outside world... that's why this happened, y'know? If you don't want this to ever happen again, then forget your ties with the outside and stay here forever! If you can! Ahahahaha!"

"Stop... please, just stop... I don't want to fucking do this anymore...", cries Snotlout, not bothering to hide his tears.

"I won't stop.", says Monobear with a serious tone, his back towards us, "Not until I prove my point to everyone. Not until I prove that Hope is infinitely inferior to Despair. And if I have to make you all despair to death... then so be it! Nyahahaha! That's my only goal here!"

He's... beyond comprehension. He's an absolute madman. A madman who relishes on this, on our suffering. And we're his prisoners.

"Now then! This Class Trial is over! You're dismissed! Let's meet again here someday! Puhuhuhu!", and with that, the Headmaster disappeared, the doors to the elevator opening once more.

* * *

The elevator ride back home was heavy with sadness. No one... spoke. No one said a word. The only noises heard were those of the one's still coming to terms with the death of two of our friends. Merida ran away from us as soon as the elevator's doors opened.

Everyone left without saying a word.

Toothless and I made our way to the Rec Area. As I walked towards my cottage, I chanced a glance at Sandy's cottage. The muddy footprints that had alerted us to the crime were gone. As if nothing had happened.

He's gone. Astrid is gone. And they won't come back. Never again will I... hang out with them, laugh with them...

Something inside of me broke. The reality of the situation finally catching up with me. Toothless instantly curled around me as soon as the first sob broke out. I hugged him tightly, thankful for the comfort as the tears continued to spill, my heart, my very being, hurt by the loss.

Toothless suddenly shifting made me look up. My bud looked at something and with a soft grunt, he lifted up the wing with which he was covering me.

Jack was standing there. And... he looked as bad as I thought I looked.

He approached me tentatively and curled up next to me and Toothless. It didn't take long for the whitette to cry. He was hurting, too. He too, had lost a close friend. And I understood.

I didn't object when he, in the middle of our crying, suddenly hugged me. Because he needed it. And I needed it too. It's silly... but holding my friend like this... I almost feel like I won't lose him. That he will be OK.

So we remain like this, for who knows how long, crying our pain away under a comforting dragon before returning to our cottages, not wanting to break the Headmaster's rules. Because... we've had enough loss for a while.

And losing someone like him... is something that would definitely kill me.

* * *

**[null] POV**

Monitors flash brightly here and there with images of the Camp site, thanks to the cameras scattered around, capturing whatever events that happen in the place. Save for the lights of the monitors that line up all the walls, the room is dark.

But Monobear doesn't mind. His red eye is equipped with a high-performance lens and thus the darkness doesn't bother him. Hell, he doesn't even have to worry about deteriorating eyesight, because he's a robot!

But then again, Monobear doesn't worry about much. Not even about the other person that is currently with him in this room. Because he's in control of everything in this camp, even of this person.

"So? What do you have for me?", the bear asks the person in front of him. "Is the despair setting in? Well?"

The person nods. The bear hoots with delight.

"Excellent! Everything is according to plan! In fact, it's going better than ever! I love it when my plans work better than I had expected! It's like getting a Christmas present from moi!"

The person is confused. What does he mean, he wonders.

"I'm talking about Sandy biting the dust! I mean, I had planned for YOU to off him but that stupid girl got him first without having to force you to act! Man, talk about a satisfying conclusion!"

Oh? Why is he so happy about Sandy dying? Or rather... why did he want to force the person in front of him to kill Sandy? The person is now curious on top of being confused.

"Hahah! As if I would reveal THAT to you! I mean, I know we're kinda working together, but I don't trust you! That's what you usually do with traitors, after all!"

Oh. That is a shame, thinks the person in front of Monobear.

"Now, leave! I have no use for you right now, but that's OK... continue observing until I come up for a nice scheme for you, my little traitor!"

Monobear looks at a specific monitor: The one that is recording the Meeting Spot, now clean of corpses and any hints of murder ever happening.

The mysterious machine in the Meeting Spot is ticking the time away. It is now past midnight. A new day has begun... a new day for a new despair-inducing plan.

Yes... everything was going according to Monobear's plan.

* * *

**DAYS LEFT: 24 DAYS**

**STUDENTS STILL ALIVE: 14**

* * *

**Chapter 1 - A Youthful Summer of Despair - END**

* * *

**So... that's the first arc done! How did you like it? Writing a compelling mystery is hard and I do hope to improve as I keep writing this story, but what do you guys think? Please sound away your opinions with a nice, shiny review... s'il vous plaît!**

**Thanks for all the support, previous reviews, and favorites and follows! You guys make this BEARable, haha! See ya later!**


	15. 2 - Chapter 2 - Normal Days A

**Chapter 2 - Living to the Fullest - Normal Days **

* * *

**And we're back with...! Another transition chapter... A surprisingly long transition chapter. I surprisingly didn't dread writing this... I had a lot of fun too! You'll know why soon... **

**Also, an announcement! Free Time Event voting is once again open! Please cast your votes in the reviews (ONLY if you leave a real review), via PM orrr by participating in the poll on my profile! **

**And now! Please enjoy!**

* * *

I'm... I'm a failure.

I couldn't do anything... I couldn't save her!

No matter how much I ran, how much I yelled for help... how much I begged all the Gods I knew... all was for naught. I was too late... and now...

She's gone.

And she won't return.

...What... what am I even good for...? What use is my "talent"? It's... because of this "talent" I have... it's my fault! This happened because of me!

I... killed her. I killed her!

All my fault... all my fault...

An icy sensation starts to surround me, and I start to panic.

No... not again! Anything but this feeling! Anything but this cold darkness! Even death! But anything... but this!

* * *

**Jack's POV**

I wake with a long, terrified scream. I can feel sweat running across my forehead... and tears... as I try to calm myself down, my eyes trying to adjust to the darkness of my cottage.

It was a dream... only a stupid nightmare. Nothing more. I tell that to myself, trying to convince no one else but me...

But this is the second night in a row that I've had that nightmare. What does it mean...? Who is 'she'? Who couldn't I save? Did I... did I really kill someone before I lost y memory? My talent did that to someone?

Maybe... maybe I'm better off not knowing who I really am...

I shake my head. Don't be stupid, Jack. You're jumping to conclusions, again, Jack. You're probably overthinking it, Jack. It was a simple nightmare, Jack.

A nightmare... that I've been having since... the end of the Class Trial.

After that accursed event happened, I returned to my cottage as fast as I could. But even though I tried to force myself to sleep... to try to force the grief, the memories of the trial... I couldn't do it. That's when I had the first nightmare. It was so vivid... it made me run out of my cottage, full of fear and guilt.

If... If I hadn't found Hiccup curled up in front of his cottage with Toothless, crying too... I don't know what I would have done. Without meaning to, he had saved me. Without judging me, without asking what was wrong with me, he cried along with me. Without protesting, despite how much he hated personal contact, he allowed me to hug him.

Hiccup... had been there for me that night. Intentionally or not, he stayed. And for that, I was truly grateful. Knowing that he was there for me... made the following days more bearable.

Ever since the Class Trial ended, the mood has been somber all around us. No cheery greetings are exchanged, only mumbled, short 'hellos' are said. No one looks at each other in the eye far more longer than necessary. Breakfast reunions are quiet endeavors, the two empty chairs that will no longer be filled by our departed friends sticking out like sore thumbs.

Merida doesn't stay to eat at all. She's been avoiding all of us. I guess... she hasn't forgiven us for what we did to Astrid... and she may never will.

Hiccup, however, is taking this worse than any of us. Mainly because of Snotlout.

Before, the Ultimate Heavy Lifter simply insulted or shoved him rarely. Since the Class Trial, however, he's been spiting the little Viking at every opportunity. Whenever he passes by Hiccup, he shoves him roughly, or elbows him hard. His insults have also risen in spite, more personal and venomous than ever.

By the time Hic gets a huge gash on his left arm after a rather nasty fall courtesy of Snotlout, I'm all but ready to throttle the guy. But Hic stops me and Toothless. And that's honestly all that's keeping us in check.

He's... not his usual self, either. He keeps spacing out. His responses to my questions are short and dry. He hasn't made a quip or let out a sarcastic reply at all. The bags under his eyes are becoming more prominent and he hasn't smiled. Not even a fake smile.

And yet, he and Toothless keep me company. I don't want to admit it, but I need it. Even though they're quiet moments, staying with him takes my mind off of things.

My mind...

My mind is a confused mess, and I'm not sure how to feel about these memories of mine. Especially the memories concerning Hic. I still don't know if they're real... and I still don't know if the feelings I sense whenever I remember them are true. I don't want to weird Hiccup out by telling him this, either. I can imagine it now:

"Hey, Hic! I remembered we used to be an item and we kissed and hugged and stuff. What do you say."

...He would surely peg me for a lunatic. He would probably start avoiding me. And I couldn't deal with that. I don't want to lose my friend over something stupid like this. It's... better if I keep quiet about this, for now...

And so... those two days have passed. Somber days and nightmare-ridden nights. Nothing much is done, if anything. We just live on, the feeling of grief still hanging above us.

And this reoccurring nightmare... for it to appear... does it mean something?

...What would Sandy say?

I immediately stop that train of thought. No, I don't need to... relive that again. The nightmare itself was enough.

With some difficulty, I bury those thoughts and the nightmare and I try to go back to sleep. I sincerely hope for a good night's rest... but then again, daring to hope in this place is useless.

That... is something I learned the hard way.

* * *

It's the morning of the third day since the Class Trial, and though the day is sunny, my disposition is anything but. I didn't get any rest last night, as expected.

Going to the restaurant for breakfast meetings have become routine, even though no 'meetings' are actually being held. Picking up Hic for breakfast has also become routine for me, and he's always waiting for me without fail. I guess... we just do it because we need something static in our lives... something established, something that gives a sense of normalcy.

Of course, Merida doesn't share that feeling. The only routine of hers lately is that of avoiding us. She doesn't come to pick up Hic with me.

Today isn't any different. As soon as I exit the cottage, I wave at the Night Fury on top of Hic's roof. Toothless' gummy grin is one of the few things that still make me smile, and the Night Fury eagerly jumps from the roof to greet me, the dragon's tongue giving me my daily dose of dragon spit.

Hic arrives a few minutes later. He... isn't looking so well today either. He barely registers I'm there, and it takes Toothless' growl greeting to make him look at us.

"Hey.", he says, his voice lacking any emotion and intonation.

"Good morning.", I answer, but it's like I'm talking to a wall. Like he's not even here.

I'm... I'm really worried about him.

"Hic... are you OK?", I ask, tentatively. It seems he heard me this time, because he looks extremely confused, with his eyebrows arched and eyes wide open.

"Huh...? Oh, um... I'm alright, yeah...", he says, before his face returns to that vacant, spacey expression he had before. Without saying anything, he starts to walk to the restaurant, not even looking if we're following him.

As we watch him go, Toothless lets out a small, sad whine. I place my hand on his head and I pet him slowly. I understand how he feels... Hiccup really isn't OK.

But how can I help him? Can I even do that...? What should I do?

As cheesy as it sounds, I want to make Hiccup smile or laugh... or to at least get a reaction out of him. But how should I proceed?

Wondering about that, I caught up to Hic with Toothless not far behind.

* * *

Breakfast was already starting in the worst possible manner.

As soon as we opened the door, a familiar bundle of red head collided with me. Somehow managing to keep my balance, I apologized out of instinct to Merida, who looked like a deer hit by a car's headlights.

Before I or Hic could say anything to her, though, the redhead pushed us roughly to the side and ran past us, her hands full of bags of take-out food.

She's... really avoiding us.

I chanced a look at Hic's face and I could see it in the way he was grimacing; Merida's actions were affecting him more than he let on.

Things didn't turn out any better once we entered the restaurant.

As Hic and I made our way to the table with trays of food in hand, the auburn-haired kid suddenly yelped as he was pushed from the back, landing roughly all over his breakfast platter and staining his clothes with syrup and eggs.

I tried my best to not punch in Snotlout's face as he laughed and called Hiccup an 'useless fucker' and instead went to help him up. Even though his bangs of hair obscured most of his eyes, I could tell he was being bothered a lot by this, he looked like he was about to break.

"You should get changed, ankle-biter... before it gets stained permanently."

I turned as soon as I heard Bunny's voice. He looked concerned... I was surprised he was even talking to us. These past days, hardly any of the others had talked to us. But this guy... looked genuinely worried about Hiccup.

The Ultimate Lucky Student looked as surprised as I was, but he nodded just the same. Taking a look at his green, short-sleeved t-shirt he had gotten from the supermarket, Hic let out a big sigh and turned to leave.

"Do you want me to come along?", I asked, before I could think about why I wanted to go with him.

"No... it's OK. I can do it myself...", he says without turning around. Yeah, he doesn't need my help changing... why did I even ask? "You... stay here. Get something to eat... you don't look so well."

You don't look any better, Hic. But I nod at him and he takes that as his signal to leave.

"Kid really takes better of others than 'imself, huh...", says Bunny as we see him leave. I turn to face him with an arched eyebrow. So he noticed...

"That's Hic for ya." I answer. He really is like that.

I make my way to the table and I can see Snotlout eyeing the door as he chews on his pancakes, sitting by himself.

"He doesn't look so well... must be takin' it hard.", comments Bunny as he walks next to me and accompanies me to the table. Why is he... following me?

"Yeah." I answer awkwardly, not used to talking to other people with full sentences after 2 days of short answers.

"You're takin' it pretty hard as well, aren't ya?", he asks as we sit down to eat, his face serious.

"What makes you say that?", I answer with a question of my own. Why is he suddenly talking to me?

"Well... for starters,", says Bunny as he lifts a hand and starts listing things off, "You look like you haven't sleep for a fortnight, you haven't made a joke at anyone's expense and you haven't been setting booby traps for me at all."

I'm taken by surprise, but I can't help but to feel a little angry. "Making jokes isn't all I'm good for..."

"I could swear otherwise," he says and I'm about to protest but he interrupts me, "my point is; I'm worried about you and the little guy."

"... You are?", I say surprised. I could've sworn he hated me.

"Sure, you're a pain in the ass, and the kid has a mouth that makes me wanna sock 'im, but...", he says with as he scratches the top of his head, his fingers digging deep into his silver hair, "That doesn't mean I ain't worried about you two. Your endless energy and that kid's wittiness and optimism despite all... I know you two are dealin' with this... but you shouldn't lose sight of yourself, ya understand?"

I don't know what to say. I never expected this side of Aster... I always took him for a grumpy jerk but... he's surprisingly mature.

Bunny looks flustered as I look at him with renowed admiration. "All I'm sayin i-is... it's alright to be sad, mate... but you shouldn't let the grief crush ya, you understand? Don't let it stop ya from livin' your life, ya get me? Don't forget the pain, but live on with it... is all am sayin'."

I laugh for the first time in days as I see Aster struggle with his explanation, apparently thinking that I didn't understand him the first time around. The Ultimate Survivalist scowls at my reaction.

"And here I thought I was doin' you a favor...", he grumbles.

"No... I...", I say between laughs. This guy... is really something else. "Don't get me wrong. You... you really helped." He truly did. "Thanks, Aster. You're really a softie on the inside, aren't you?"

The Ultimate Survivalist blushes before giving me a noogie, "Don't try your luck with me, Frostbite."

With a better mood than before, I finish my breakfast in the company of Bunny, mostly making small talk. It's... a far cry from how everyone used to talk before, but this... is nice.

By the time I finish my breakfast, however, my mind wanders to Hiccup. He hasn't returned yet... should I pick him up? He needs to eat too...

Sudden movement catches my eye and I look around until I see Snotlout leaving the restaurant in a hurry.

A sense of dread fills me. Reacting to that emotion, I hastily say good bye to Aster as I stand up from my table, much to his confusion.

I don't... want to jump to conclusions but this fear...

I'm practically running as I exit the restaurant. On the distance I can see Snot leaving the Rec Area and making his way to the Lodge Area. My heart sinks.

I chase the Ultimate Heavy Lifter's trial as fast as I can, hoping that I'm not too late.

* * *

I take a detour through the forest behind the Lodge Area and enter the clearing near Hic's cottage. To my relief, I arrive before Snot. A few minutes later he arrives, with an angry scowl on his face as he walks towards the little Viking's cottage. I move and stop in front of Hic's door, blocking Snot's way. He's startled at my sudden appearance, but the scowl returns with renewed intensity. "Get the fuck out of my way, Overland.", he barks as an order, but I just shake my head slowly.

"Why do you keep harming Hic?", I state, more than ask.

"I'm just giving the little shithead what he deserves", he says, a sneer appearing on his round face. "Now move!"

He tries to push me aside but I stand my ground. I push him back, much to his surprise. Almost as if he wasn't expecting me to do something like this. But there's no way I'm letting him hurt Hic anymore.

"I said move, damn it!", he shouts, clearly annoyed at my actions. "Or I'll punch your face in, you white-haired freak!". I only glare at him, determined to not let him pass.

"No."

He's still angry about the Class Trial. I know he is. He was acting strange during it and Astrid's punishment really seemed to unsettle him. But...

"Stop blaming Hic for what happened at the Class Trial.", I say to Snot and he visibly flinches. "It wasn't his fault. You also voted for her, so don't go pinning the blame on hi-"

Pain erupts from the right side of my head. My eyesight turns red and I can feel myself falling, my body meeting the ground a few moments later. I can taste blood on my mouth, the iron-like taste strong. I feel extremely disoriented, but I somehow manage to look up from the ground towards Snotlout, who has his right fist raised, looking red with anger.

I see... so he punched me. So this is how it feels to be decked... Man, it sucks.

But... I won't let this stop me. He won't get to Hic, at all.

Feeling groggy and dizzy, and goddamn the right side of my face hurts, I slowly pick myself up from the ground. My knees wobble a little as I stand up and face Snotlout, who looks surprised. I can't help but to feel a bit satisfied at that expression. Heh, guess he wasn't expecting me to get up at all. I really shouldn't feel confident about the fact that I can take a punch from the Ultimate Heavy Lifter, especially right after receiving said punch, but a smirk slowly forms in my face.

Instinctively, I feebly put up my fists in front of me. I still haven't recovered from that strike and I haven't been in a real fight at all in my life, or at least I don't recall ever being in one, but if it means protecting my friend... well, there's always a first time for everything.

I feel strangely confident as I square off against the much bigger teen in front of me. "Is that all you got? Merida punches harder than that.", I taunt, knowing it's a bad idea but I don't care. Snotlout, however, does seem to care, and with a growl he raises another fist, getting ready to throw another punch. I brace myself.

The punch never comes because a loud roar interrupts us. Snotlout effectively pales as he looks at something behind me and I turn around to see Toothless and Hic, both looking angry. Snot takes a step back as the Night Fury advances on him, growling .

"Get out of here, Snotlout. Now.", says Hiccup, in a commanding tone. The Ultimate Heavy Lifter looks at the Viking with anger, but Toothless' roar sends him packing. Before he leaves, though, he shouts at Hic: "You can't even fight your own battles, you goddamn pussy!". Toothless shoots a warning shot and that finally makes him leave.

I turn to face Hic, and I can see him glaring in the general direction of Snotlout's retreat with narrowed eyes before letting out a sigh and then turning to face me with a worried expression. Before I can talk, he hurriedly returns to his cottage while saying: "Wait here."

A minute barely passes before the auburn-haired kid returns with a first-aid kit on hand, his expression still worried but now showing a bit of determination. He sits down next to and directs me to do the same, to which I comply. I have to smile as I see Hic looking around the kit and he catches my smile as he turns to face me with a cotton swab and an alcohol bottle in hand.

"What are you so happy about?", he asks with narrowed eyes.

"It's just nice to see you act so worried about me." I say, truthfully. Hiccup showing this much emotion is great, compared to the past two days.

He looks offended as he applies alcohol to the cotton swab and I wince as he presses the thing to my cheek harder than needed. "Of course I do worry about you. You always get your dumb butt in dangerous situations."

The way he's cleaning my cheek harsher than needed and that comment... I can't help but to feel a bit angry. "Gee, I save your ass and this is what I get?", Hiccup then starts cleaning my nose and I sputter a little, "t-the world's most crabbiest nurse?"

Hiccup stops cleaning and as he disposes of the cotton swab, I can see its stained with blood. Man, did Snot get my nose as well?

"...I didn't need you to save my butt...", he mumbles without looking at me.

My anger grows. "Hic, he was going to kick your ass."

"I'm tougher than I look. I... could've taken it."

I harshly grab Hic by the shoulders, forcing him to see me. I've had enough of this martyr bullshit. "Don't you think I know that?!", he flinches a bit, "I... I know you're tough, Hic. I'm not saying you aren't. You're probably one of the toughest people I've ever met!"

"But... that doesn't mean you have to take it all alone."

Hiccup looks at me with wide eyes, surprised by my sudden outburst. I take this as my chance to continue.

"You aren't alone, Hic.", I stare directly at his eyes. "You have me and Toothless. So don't try to shoulder everything by yourself, OK? I... we're here for you.", Aster's words come to mind. "Stop blaming yourself for things you weren't responsible for." At this, Hic grimaces and looks ready to protest but I don't let him speak. "I'm not telling you to forget about Astrid and Sandy's death. I'm telling you to move on while carrying that grief. And I'm telling you that you don't have to carry that burden by yourself. We'll... do it together, OK?"

Hiccup lowers his gaze, not meeting my eyes.

"I-it's what those two would've wanted... for us to keep up living." I finish, lamely.

A brief silence falls between us, and I let go of Hic, not knowing what else to say.

"You're... right. Astrid would... surely punch me in the arm and Sandy would give me the lecture of my life for being so mopey...",says the auburn-haired Viking suddenly. He lifts his gaze, his eyes watery with tears, but a sincere smile is on his face. One of those smiles where his crooked teeth can be seen.

"Thanks, Jack." he says, sounding more alive than ever. The hug he gives me comes out of nowhere, but I return it.

"Hey... that's why we're...", a flash of memory; Hic and I holding hands on the rooftop of Hope's Peak as we look over the city's landscape, "boyfr-! boy, we're friends, right?!"

Talk about an almost Freudian slip! Jack, you need to keep yourself in check!

Hiccup chuckles next to my ear and he breaks the hug, much to my... disappointment? Is that what I'm feeling? "Only Odin knows what I did to deserve a friend like you. Must be bad karma."

There it is... that sarcastic quip. How I missed it.

"Are you sure? I think I'm pretty good company. I mean, I'm nice to look at, right?", I say, hoping to see a return of our comeback routine.

Hic rolls his eyes as he closes the first-aid kit and stands up. "Sure, I... enjoy greatly the company of a... bruised, frosty clown. Nothing better than that, no sir!"

We both end laughing a little, more because of the moment than our comments. More than anything, I'm happy Hic is smiling once again. Things... aren't OK. We're still both sad... but we're trying to move on. We need to take that first step.

"C'mon, dork. We need to get you some food, so put that back in and let's get going." I say to Hic as I give him a small nudge.

"Yeah... we also need to... plan our next move," says Hic as he starts to move towards the cottage, Toothless following him looking happier than before, "We need to decide what we're going to do... all about this. So we need to talk with everyone."

I nod. It's true. If we do want to move on, we all need to do so. We have to choose a course of action.

Me and Toothless waited for Hic to return the first-aid kit and we walked towards the restaurant together, daring to feel a little hopeful about our situation.

* * *

To our surprise, everyone was still on the restaurant, even Snotlout. Merida was nowhere to be seen, though.

However, someone else was at restaurant. Someone I wasn't happy to see at all.

Monobear.

"Welcome! Please, do come in and take a seat! I have something important to say!"

I almost wanted to turn back and leave, but I knew defying Monobear without thinking would only makes things worse for everyone, so I grudgingly went to take a seat next to Aster, who lifted an eyebrow as he saw my face. Hiccup sat hesitantly next to me, not taking his eyes off Monobear.

"Y'know...", began the Headmaster, "I've been watching you guys these past days and I can't help but notice that you look sad..."

An ugly snort from Flynn sounded across the room, "Hah! You think?"

Monobear continued unperturbed, "And you know what? I'm bored. Nothing is happening and just watching you guys mill around like lost elderly folk in their last days isn't my idea of fun so... I've decided to reward you!"

"Reward us?", asked Anna, looking at the Headmaster with worry.

"Yes! You guys performed admirably on the Class Trial... so as a reward, I'm expanding your horizons, so to speak!", said the bear with a grandiose sweep of his arms.

We looked at each other confused.

"What do you mean by that?", asked North with a puzzled expression.

"You may recall," began Monobear, "there was a giant gate blocking the way on the Mountain Pass, yes?"

True. I remember that. Hic and I talked with Bunny there.

"Well, I'm sure you're wondering what's behind that gate... Don't wonder anymore! I removed that gate, so you can explore that place as much as you want! Go on! Go wild! Stretch your wings!", said Monobear as he raised a paw to the sky, "Who knows... you might even find something out about you guys' past there too... Ahahahaha! Ha!", and with that cryptic remark, Monobear disappeared.

This didn't feel right.

Was this Monobear's trap?

Suddenly, Hic spoke up. "S-so... what should we do, guys?", he asked, his nasally voice clear and loud in the quiet room.

"Hmm, this is quite the conundrum...", said Pitch as he crossed his arms.

"Monobear is obviously plotting something. I'm 80% sure of that.", said Fishlegs as he closed his eyes to think.

"But... he's also known to say the truth so...", muttered Tooth.

"Ya really think there might be somethin' about our past in that place?", asked Bunny.

I'm sure of it, Monobear is plotting something. I doubt he would give us a clue about our past for free, considering he made us kill each other for it. But does that mean there's actually something there about ourselves, like Tooth suggested?

"Well... it's better than staying here doing nothing." I said with a shrug, "We should check it out, I think."

"Whoa, dude, what happened to your face?", asked Tuff as he took a look at me. Suddenly, everyone's eyes were on me, and I couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious. I could see Snotlout squirm with discomfort in his seat.

My eyes darted to Hic, who looked uncomfortable as well. Anna caught me doing that and her mouth opened with a gasp. "Did you and Hiccup... fight?"

Hic and I both looked at each other before laughing, much to the shock and confusion of others. Man, she got the wrong idea totally, but it works. Even if I want to get Snotlout in trouble, with this, I don't have to explain anything.

"Something like that." I answered, with a smile. "Y'know how it is... sometimes we have to knock some sense into each other."

"He knocked something more than sense into your face, Frostbite.", said Bunny as he looked at my bruise.

"Didn't know Hiccup had that on him, that's for sure." said Flynn looking amused.

"But it makes sense! I did read that in a book...", said Rapunzel as she looked at us with wonder.

"Just what kind of books are you reading...?", said the Ultimate Thief as he looked at Rapunzel with narrowed eyes.

"A-Anyhow...!", said Hic, looking flustered, "Are we going there to investigate?"

Silence once again filled the room. "I don't know, Mr. Haddock... it might be a trap. Another ploy to instill Mutual Killing.", said Elsa with a tinge of worry trickling through her calm demeanor.

"But...", began North. "It is just like Jack has said. We cannot afford to stay here an longer, under the bear's control. We need to find way out."

"I don't think Monobear is going to leave a way out for us there...", said Fishlegs, looking unsure.

"But we have to try, mate. Who knows? Maybe we'll learn something that will help us make an escape plan.", said Bunny, acting more gung ho about this than I expected.

"Well, we have nothing better to do so, like, count us in.", said Ruff, her twin nodding.

"Geez, if only we could fly over that stupid fence...", said Anna, looking annoyed.

"Please, be reasonable, Anna." chided Elsa. "So, are we all going then?"

Some of the people in our group still looked undecided. And then...

"Gee, ya sure a sorry lot."

I hadn't heard that heavily accented voice in days. Sure enough, as I turned in the general direction of the voice, there was Merida, looking a little disbeheveled but otherwise fine.

"How long are ya gonna sit on yer asses doin' nothin'?", she said with arms crossed. "Don't ya think we wasted enough time feelin' sorry for ourselves?", her eyes darkened a little. "T-they didn't die for us to just sit here and let our lives go to waste, y'know? We need to get goin' and escape from this place, OK?!"

To day that we were speechless was an understatement. Especially me. I never expected Merida to not only encourage us... but to actually talk to us? I thought she hated us... and yet here were are.

"Merida is absolutely right." says North in answer, standing up to his full height. "Come on everyone. We better start doing something before our legs atrophy! Let us get with the going!"

With an odd amount of energy that no doubt was infused because of Merida's rousing speech, everyone was led by North outside the restaurant, a feeling of feeble excitement surrounding the people who followed him.

Only Hiccup, Merida and I were left at the restaurant, and... well, to say that the silence was awkward was an understatement. The redheaded girl and the auburn-haired kid were avoiding each other's gazes, looking uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry."

Merida broke the silence first, a look of genuine regret on her face. "I've...been actin' like a real butthead these past days, haven't I?", she said with a nervous smile.

"N-no... I..!", began Hiccup, clearly taken a back by Merida's apology. "It's understandable... I mean! What with what happened and all... so don't apologize! I'm... not mad with you, Merida, honest!"

Merida smiled as she saw the Ultimate Lucky Student stutter with his apology, obviously relieved that he had forgiven her. She then turned to face me, expectant.

I grimaced. "You've... been hurting Hiccup a lot, y'know? By ignoring him. He really felt responsible for this.", I said. That's what really bothered me.

"Jack, please, it's not importan-", Hiccup began but I silenced by lifting my hand.

"I'm just telling her the consequences of her actions, Hic. It IS important.", I kept my gaze on her. "Why... do you want to apologize now?"

She was... blushing? "I... I heard what you said to Hiccup back at the Lodge Area."

Oh.

Now it was my turn to blush.

"And... it made me realize... I was looking at this the wrong way." continued the redhead. "Astrid... wouldn't ever forgive me if she saw me acting like this. Sandy would... probably fill 'is sketchbook with frowny faces...", and she laughed a small laugh as she said this. "So... I decided. I'm not gonna let this stop me."

Her face turned determined.

"I'll... definitely find a way outta here and we'll escape together!"

That's all I needed to hear. I gave her a smirk and gave her a quick hug. I really couldn't stay mad at her. Hiccup gave her a big, sheepish smile, obviously happy that we were talking again.

"Thanks, guys.", she said, looking brighter than ever.

"Alright! That exit ain't gonna find itself!", she suddenly exclaimed. "Leave no stone unturned, OK? Race ya to the place!", and without even waiting for us to agree to her terms, she left the restaurant with a sprint.

I turned to see Hic and with a wave of my arm, I gestured to the exit. "Shall we?"

Hic rolled his eyes, but smiled. "Yeah, yeah. But I'm not gonna race you, OK?"

And with that comment, we left the restaurant together, accompanied by Toothless who was looking excited, no doubt because of the large number of people who left before us and because of our much cheerful moods.

We don't know what awaits us beyond the Mountain Pass... but we need to keep moving forward. No matter what.

* * *

**Hmm hmm... this was a rather slow chapter, I'm afraid... but I wanted to write some fluff? Next chapter is going to have much more intrigue and mystery and plot stuffings, I promise!**

**All the reviews are appreciated, as always! Especially those of you that always comment, like Kitsu_Maxwell, BlackNightRaven1 and XaLO and... well, if I keep naming all of you, this will get unbearably long! So once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart!**


	16. 2 - Chapter 2 - Normal Days B

**Chapter 2 - Living to the Fullest - Normal Days B**

* * *

**No Free Time Events in this chapter. Thing was getting way too long. So, next time we'll have 'em. As a consolation prize, I've introduced more plot bunnies. They're rapidly appearing in this story, just like their namesake. You'll end up wondering if you will be able to handle such sheer number of bunny plot points. But do not worry, I have everything under control. So just enjoy and figuratively cuddle with the plot bunnies, if you want.  
**

* * *

**Hiccup's POV  
**

I was expecting the Mountain Pass to be a harsh climb, what with Monobear's tendency of trying to make our existence miserable, but much like the rest of the Camp, the mountain trail was actually well maintained. It was a simple path that slanted upwards ever so slightly, surrounded by the forest on each side, the greenery contrasting nicely with the gray of the stone path we were traversing on. It was actually quite peaceful, at odds with the true nature of this camp. A few minutes of walking brought us to a cliff wall, tall and foreboding. I craned my neck as much as I could and I swore I could make out the peaks of a mountain over the edge of the cliff wall.

But it looked like the path ended here... But that can't be it. I mean, if it did, then where is everyone?

"Hey, Hic, what's that?"

I looked to my right, where Jack was pointing. Is... that a cable car? It's huge! Toothless had scurried over to investigate it and he was dwarfed by the thing! Of course, the car was styled after Monobear, just like everything in the camp.

I take my time to explain what a cable car is to Jack, seeing how he probably forgot about the existence of these due to his memory loss. The whitette nods after I finish explaining, genuine wonder on his eyes as he eyes the contraption. The look is replaced by a frown, black eyebrows furrowing with confusion.

"But Hic... this cable car doesn't look like what you described to me."

It was true. Most cable cars travel horizontally, ascending in a slope like fashion. THIS cable car, however, seemed to travel vertically, as if it were an elevator. Which I GUESS makes sense, since apparently this is the only way to climb this cliff wall.

Should we use it, though? I mean, everyone else presumably did so, and if we want to actually get things done, we had to ride it... but I couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about the thing.

Jack didn't share my worry, though. He tugged at my sleeve enthusiastically, pulling me towards the cable car, apparently dying to ride the thing. "C'mon, Hic! Let's go!"

I had to smile at how alive Jack looked when he was experiencing new things. Feeling a little less nervous, I boarded the vehicle, with Toothless walking behind me, looking restless as he sniffed the interior of the car.

Jack and I sat each on one of the many seats available on the humongous cable car, the Ultimate Mystery looking outside the window excitedly, and soon after, the contraption closed its doors automaticallyand the ride started, slow but steady. Toothless gave a nervous growl as he curled on the floor in front of me, and I patted his head in order to calm him down. I guess he was just nervous about riding in things he couldn't control.

The ride was quiet, the only noises being produced by Jack's constant shuffling as he looked outside and pointed at things in the landscape. I had to admit, for such a dreary place, the view was quite beautiful. Hard to think that murder happens in this place with such beauty... Of course, Monobear Tower can be seen from here, the top of it STILL not visible despite how high we are, but neither Jack or I point that out, ignoring the subject on purpose.

I'm not particularly focusing on the view outside, to be honest... the sightseeing I'm doing is quite different.

I just can't help but keep shooting glances at Jack.

This boy... he has lost everything. He doesn't remember anything. He just lost something he recently only gained. And even still, he looked out for me. He hung around me even in my funk. He got in a fight for me and got hurt in the process. And still, he didn't hold it against me. He didn't abandon me and he even helped me to get my act together.

To say that I was grateful for his friendship and that my crush on him had intensified was an understatement.

Said boy caught me looking, and I looked away, embarrassed. I chance a glance after a few moments pass... and it's light... but... is that color on his cheeks?

Oh no... did I make things awkward? Crud... way to go, Haddock!

Jack slowly sits back on his seat, looking pensive and unusually silent. I start to worry, countless scenarios of the worst possible outcome swimming in my mind.

"Hic... I... have something to confess...", says the whitette, the frown on his face intensifying ever so slightly. My nervousness, however, intensifies by a hundred.

"I... remembered more things.", says Jack, looking serious.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Man, talk about worrying over nothing. But still... this is great news! I'm about to congratulate him when I notice he looks more tired than ever.

"...I take it those memories weren't nice ones?", I ask. It's brief, but I can see his face lit up and his cheeks darken a bit before he shakes his head and laughs. "Yeah, they've been more like nightmares, to be honest. Haven't been able to sleep well these past days."

That makes sense. He does look pretty tired. That bruise doesn't help either. But... I wonder... if they're only terrible dreams... what was up with that reaction?

Jack looks deep in thought, his blue eyes focused on an invisible point, not really looking at anything there. I cough to catch his attention and he actually jumps a little.

"So... do you want to talk about it?", I ask.

Jack closes his eyes while crossing his arms, briefly considering this question before sighing and nodding.

He starts with a dream of him escaping from something unknown, fearfully running through a ruined city towards Hope's Peak Academy. He tells me how the school is apparently destroyed by a giant Monobear. He then tells me about another dream where he feels like he killed someone. That he left someone die.

I can't help but to feel that he's holding back information from me but I don't pressure him, as Jack looks deeply troubled by these 'dreams'.

"And the worst part is...", he says after telling me about them, "I can't even tell if they're memories or what."

"I'm scared, Hic.", he mumbles with a bit of panic on his voice, "I'm scared of who I really am. If those memories are real memories... then... then I'm a truly terrible person."

I... had no idea Jack felt this way. I always assumed he hadn't remembered anything else, but he was suffering in silence.

"Why didn't you tell me...?"

"Honestly? I don't even know, Hic.", he say as he closes his eyes and leans his head back on the seat, "I guess... I just didn't want to worry you about this? You had a lot on your plate and well...", He pauses with a sigh, "I guess I was also afraid of you walking away from me once you heard who I really was."

Now this won't do. I put a hand on his leg, and the action makes him look at me. "Don't be stupid.", I say with a stern face. "The only Jack I know is the one in front of me. That's who you really are."

He looks at me with surprise etched on his features before breaking into a smile. "Thanks, Hic."

I return the gesture. "Don't mention it. Besides... I think those dreams? Yeah, they're probably nightmares. T-there's no way Hope's Peak Academy got destroyed and that the city did as well. And you killing someone? No way. So... all of the dreams you've had? All of them, fake, I bet."

My words have the opposite effect; instead of reassuring him, he looks even more troubled. Did I say something wrong?

"Uh... Jack? What's the matter? Did I say something...?", I ask, but he shakes his head vigorously. "No... I'm... I'm OK." he says, his voice subdued.

But before I can ask more, because seriously Jack looked conflicted, the cable car comes to a sudden stop, the doors opening slowly.

"Guess our stop is here.", says the whitette and stands up briskly, already walking towards the exit.

Talk about an attitude change. He almost looked... offended? Was I out of line with my comment? I really should apologize, then. Toothless and I hurry to catch up to Jack, but before I can talk to him, the sight outside the cable car takes me by surprise.

Snow.

It's everywhere. On the ground, falling from the sky softly... on the trees. A sign covered in snow greets us, reading 'Monobear's Bone Chilling Resort!'. Trees are huddled together in clusters, arranged in such a way that they form a path further into the area. I bring out my ElectroID in order to get a general idea of the place but it comes up blank. Guess Monobear really wants us to investigate this place by ourselves.

I give Jack a look, but the white-haired teen is too busy looking at the snow. He's actually enthralled by it, his eyes shining with wonder and, as a laugh escapes his lips when he catches a snowflake on his hand, I can't bring myself to bring up the previous subject. I don't want to ruin his fun.

Instead, I decide to keep quiet as the goof starts running around in the clearing we're standing on, kicking up snow here and there, his arms spread around as if he were flying. Toothless soon can't resist and joins Jack, chasing him around much to the boy's delight. A few minutes of this passes, I being too immersed in the fun they're having to object, when suddenly Jack looks at me and gives me an odd look before shaking his head as if the idea he was having didn't make sense and then he approaches me with a big smile.

"Hic, this place is amazing!", he says as if he were having the time of his life.

I chuckle and I give a noncommittal shrug. "Eh, snow is alright, I guess. Berk has it's share of it for a lot of the year." It was true. Sometimes the exaggeration 'snows 9 times of the month' that passes as a saying in Berk wasn't that far from the truth.

Jack just rolls his eyes before smirking. "Wow, Hic. I didn't know you were this much of a stick-in-the-mud."

I narrow my eyes. "Is that another fishbone joke?"

Jack simply sticks his tongue out. "I'll never tell!"

Seriously, what a 5 year old!

"Gee, your company is always so pleasant.", I say with obvious sarcastic intent. "C'mon, we have to check this place out. I'll show you how to have real fun with the snow after we're done." And with that, I start to walk towards a path north of the clearing, the only one visible through the cluster of trees.

"Hmm... 'fun' and 'Hic'...", says Jack as he walks up to me, a mock thoughtful expression on his face. "Somehow I don't see it."

My only response is an elbow to his gut, to which I get a light shove in retaliation.

Yeah... I'm not going to bring that back up any time soon. I'm... having too much fun with him just like this.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

I don't know why, but when Hiccup said that all my dreams were fake... I got very upset. Why would I get upset, though? I didn't understand at first... I mean, I didn't want those dreams to be real memories... so how come I got angry? And why did some of my anger get redirected to Hiccup?

The more I thought about it, though, it dawned on me.

Those memories of Hic and I together.

Yeah, that... had to be it. I... didn't want those to be fake. That had to be it. So... is that my answer? Is that the solution to my problems? The problem of 'How I REALLY feel about those memories slash dreams'?

I really wanted to be with him like that?

Well, even if I wanted to be like him... and those green eyes of his capable of showing such a nice variety of emotions.. and that shy smile that only seems to get complimented by those crooked teeth... and those freckles that make me wonder how many he has and... and...

And I need to control myself!

Because even if I want to be with him like that... like I said before... he might not feel the same. I don't want to scare him away. And I mean... why would he even feel something like that for me? Sure, I think I have a nice face (Ruffnut stated as much when I met her) but to him I'm just a stranger. We're friends, true, but he doesn't even know me that well! Not even I know myself that well... so he probably... not, he certainly will never feel about me like that.

Besides... he's probably too busy with our current situation to even think about silly stuff like that...

I should focus on the situation as well. I should put this crush on him (because that's what this is, damn it) on the back burner.

Hic and I finally emerge from the forest path we took and to my delight, we come into a place filled with even more snow! This oval-shaped clearing isn't empty, either! 2 Wooden cabins adorned with carvings, paint and... horned helmets?... can be seen. I can't help but to stare at the buildings with interest, their triangle-like roofs oddly charming. They're quite unlike anything I've seen before. Equally interesting is the wooden pole in the middle of the clearing, figures of men holding swords and shields carved on it.

All of my wonder is replaced with anger when I see the person who is leaning on that pole.

Snotlout.

I didn't say anything back at the restaurant because I'm sure Hic wouldn't want the brute to get in trouble, but if he wants to try his luck with him again... he'll have to go through me.

The Ultimate Heavy Lifter spots us and starts to walk over. I can see the apprehension in Hic's face and I instinctively walk in front of him, Toothless joining me, his teeth bared. Snot looks nervous as he eyes us but something's off... he's not putting a tough front...

"Oi... fishb-, err... Haddock.", begins Snotlout, looking unsure, "I... just wanted to say."

A long pause stretches as Hic listens intently to the Ultimate Heavy Lifter's words.

Finally, Snot seems to gather his thoughts enough to speak again, "I just wanted to say... that I forgive you."

"Huh?"

Both Hic and I utter that in confusion, Toothless looking befuddled as well. Snot seems oddly embarrassed despite his choice of words, running a meaty hand through his hair. "I said... I forgive you. For whatever happened at the Class Trial. I'm not angry at you anymore so I... won't bother you about that anymore."

...Is this guy for real? He should be apologizing, not forgiving!

"O-oh... um, sure? Thanks, I guess?"

Aaand of course, Hic forgives him. I can't help but to roll my eyes at the little Viking. The Ultimate Heavy Lifter nods at Hic's response, and he turns to leave, shivering. "G-great that's cleared up, I guess. Catch ya later, Haddock... preferably somewhere warm."

And without even waiting for a response, Snot leaves, walking down a path to the east.

"What kind of crappy apology was that?", I say as soon as he leaves.

Hic shrugs. "Well, for him, it's progress."

"You're too nice, Hic. You should've gotten back at him.", I say as I shove him lightly with my shoulder.

"Eh... it'd rather have things done with. Why hold grudges, anyway?", he says nonchalantly as he walks to the cottage near us, eyeing the camera installed above the door. I guess Monobear is monitoring us as well.

"I still think a small blast of Toothless would've been nice.", I say as I catch up to him, who is pulling at the door with all his might, the handle rattling from the effort.

"Well...", he says as he glares at the door and kicks it in frustration. "We could always use you for target practice.", he says with a smirk as he walks to the next cottage, before he slips on the snow midway there. I catch him and I chuckle at his blush, the tiny Viking readjusting his short sleeved shirt embarrassedly.

"Hey, aren't you cold, Hic?", I ask, suddenly worried. I'm fine because of my hoodie, but Hiccup certainly isn't outfitted with winter clothing. The auburn-haired kid simply shakes his head, the blush on his face not receding. "Nah... I'm used to the cold. Berk's winters are brutal, so this is nothing." We finally reach the other cottage and the door of this one is actually unlocked, Hic hesitating a bit before entering.

"Oh really?". Now I'm curious about Hic's village more.

"Yeah, really.", he says as he takes a look at the room. It's a weird room, alright. There's 14 desks with computers installed on them, each with their own set of headphones. On the back of the room, a giant monitor that occupies the entire wall can be seen. And that's all there is in this room. No windows, no doors besides the one we entered. "But even if the winters got harsh, we can keep ourselves warm with the help of our dragons.", says Hic as he walks to one of the computers and picks up a headphone absentmindedly.

I turn to see Toothless, who is sniffing one of the headphones . "So, Toothless has been with you for a long time?"

The Ultimate Lucky Student blinks, but nods quickly. "A-Ah, yeah.. had him since he was a hatchling, actually." A wistful look appears on his eyes, as if he were recalling something distant. "One day... I found an abandoned egg in the woods. There was no nest in sight, and no parents nearby. It was just there... in the middle of the woods. I had never seen a dragon egg like this before, so I took it home."

A fond smile spreads on Hic's face. "It was also my first time hatching an egg. If I had known they exploded, I would've been more prepared."

"Dragon eggs explode?", I said with disbelief. I can just picture a little... er, littler Hic taking care of an egg that suddenly explodes. I can't help but to laugh, much to the little Viking's chagrin.

"Yeah, they do.", he says as he takes another look at the room before losing interest. "But... it was thanks to that that I met Toothless. His parents never came from him, and he was the only Night Fury in the village, so... I took care of him. We've been friends ever since." Hic walks to said dragon and starts to scratch behind his frill, who purrs with contentment.

"You two did seem pretty close..." I say as I see the scene in front of me fondly.

"Yup... he's my best friend... which is why we have to get out of here.", says Hic, eyeing the tail of the Night Fury with a sad expression.

I walk towards them and put a hand on Hic's shoulder, ignoring the electric-like feeling I get from the contact. "Don't worry. We'll find a way out."

Green eyes meet mine for a second before looking away, a nervous cough escaping Hiccup. "Y-yeah. Let's keep looking.", he says before he starts to walk towards the exit.

Aw, damn, I keep forgetting he hates this kind of contact! Way to go, Jack, you only made things uncomfortable! I need to keep my hands to myself...

With that self-scolding, I catch up to Hic as we walk outside of the cottage and on to the next area, following the path Snot took.

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

"Hmm, according to the Map... we just left the Arrival Plaza... and we checked out the A/V Room." I say as I take a look at the ElectroID, the map now showing something, but only the parts we've been to.

Jack nods as he takes a look at his own ElectroID. "Yeah... and now we're in the... uh, 'Final Clearing'?"

I take my eyes off my ID and I scan the area. Compared to all the other places we've ben in this camp, this place is much more smaller. There's nothing worthy of note here, save the lone building near the edge of the cliff. However... the building itself is unique.

Unlike the previous cottages, this small building is completely made of metal. Much like the A/V Room, this building doesn't have any visible windows and it's completely square. The only noteworthy feature of the building is a giant door with a green skull painted on it, red swirls on it's cheeks and red eyes looking at us.

Aside from this building, only a monitor and cameras can be seen in the Final Clearing. A path that leads north and a path that continues further east are the only other important things in this place.

Toothless and I exchange a look. I can tell he's thinking the same as me. That building... and this Final Clearing... feel weird. But... there might be something important here... so we need to investigate.

Gathering as much courage as I can, I walk towards the building, Jack and Toothless following suit. However, before I can open the ornery-painted door...

"Beware, you mortal fools! For this is the Final Death Room!"

"Loki's stained undergarments!"

Monobear had decided to appear right in front of me and let's just say that I was... OK, I was scared by his sudden appearance. The bear looked delighted at my reaction.

"Hee hee... Ah... good thing I have a camera installed on my eye... That look in your face was priceless, Hiccy! I'm gonna watch your stupid face whenever I'm bored!", said the Headmaster with a childish grin.

"What the hell do you want?", asked Jack, walking up to the bear with a menacing glare.

"Oh yeah.", said Monobear and he cleared his throat. "Beware, you mortal fools, for this is the Final Death Room!", he repeated with an exaggerated and theatrical tone of voice. "This room is definitely not for the faint of heart! Any of you who enters this room will be tossed into a glorious game of Life and Death! You either come out of it a winner or in a casket! And if you mortals somehow manage to win... then you'll be able to claim your reward! A weapon suited perfectly for Mutual Killing! Sweet, huh?"

Oh... so this room is useless?

"You don't look so excited about this...", says the Headmaster looking crestfallen.

"Well, duh. Why would we want to play a game to get a weapon to kill someone?", said Jack with narrowed eyes.

"We're not falling for your tricks anymore, so yeah... this room is useless to us.", I say with contempt.

"Guh! I go to all the trouble of crafting such an intense room and you guys just step on me and my motivation... children these days are so ruthless and lacking in calcium... Boohohoohoo...", and with fake tears leaking from his eyes, Monobear disappears after rambling his usual nonsense.

"I guess we're avoiding this place, then?", asks Jack with an eyebrow raised.

"Definitely." I say. This Final Death Room... is nothing but bad news. We'll need to talk with the others about this. But first, we need to check the rest of this place out. Without saying any words, we go and take the path that leads further east.

* * *

The path east of the Final Clearing leads us to a place I wasn't expecting to see in a Camp, much less in a place called 'Monobear's Bone Chilling Resort'.

A giant expanse surrounded by forests, with a hill in the middle, greets us. On top of the hill sits a building. No, rather... a mansion. There's no other way to describe the enormous building, it's style completely out of place with the previous cottages and the Final Death Room. To the tall windows and the white pillars contrasting with the red brick, and to the giant door with moon carvings...

Out of pure instinct, I bring out my ElectroID. Sure enough, the area's name is now displayed. Archive Area, it reads... and this building is called... MiM Library? What an odd name... but hey, my name's Hiccup, so what do I know?

I turn to Jack, who is too enthralled with the building to bring out his ID. I roll my eyes and I bump into him to bring him to his senses, and with his attention fully caught, I motion him to walk with me to the library.

As soon as we're at the door, however, they burst open right on our faces, making me and Jack fall back from the impact. With pain filling every part of my body, I look up to see the culprit an I'm not surprised to see the twins rushing past us. What surprises me is the fact that they're carrying books.

"Man, who knew books could tell us how to destroy things?! Like, who knew reading while we were still alive could be useful?", I hear Ruffnut shout to her twin as they pass by us.

"Yeah, we're gonna make so many explosives and catapults, they won't know what hit 'em! Hel, I don't even know what I'm gonna hit 'em with!", says Tuffnut with a mischievous grin, not even looking at us as they round the corner and leave the area.

Typical Twins behavior. Well, at least my fall wasn't so bad... I fell on something soft, after all... wait...

"Ugh... as if the bruise wasn't bad enough..."

Jack's voice... is coming from below me.

I take a look and sure enough, I'm lying over a sprawled out Jack, who is rubbing his face with a scowl, eyes closed in pain. When he opens them, though, clear astonishment can be seen on them.

Oh Thor why...

It is in a mess of flailing limbs and hurried apologies that we separate and stand up, the blush in my cheeks fully transforming me in the skinniest tomato alive. Jack's pale skin makes his own blush more pronounced, his eyes darting here and there, not really looking at me, his hand scratching the back of his neck.

"So... yeah u-umm... sorry about that Hic..."

"No, I'm sorry for falling on top of you!"

"O-oh... I don't min- I mean, it's alright! No harm done, really!"

"Oh Gods, I'm so sorry Jack, really!"

I want Nidhog to break through the earth and devour me on the spot. This... is too embarrassing!

"Relax, Hic, I'm fine! Really, compared to the Snotlout thing, this nothing!", he says with a confident smirk, the bruise under his eye were the fist connected looking bigger. I feel guilty but the door hitting us wasn't precisely my fault so I let it rest. And if he says he's fine...

I cough awkwardly into my fist. "S-so... if you're fine... shall we..?", I say as I gesture to the door with my left hand.

Jack smiles and nods. "I told you, I'm fine! Now let's get going, you worrywart!", and with a spring on his step, the whitette enters the library, slowly looking at everything as he passes the left-ajar doors.

Odin's Ghost... I can't help but to dwell on the fact that I was lying on top of him... feeling his chest rise as breathed, the movement of his lean muscles discernible even through the hoodie he always wears...

Toothless' face interrupts my train of thought, a smug look plastered all over him as he looks at me.

"Wh-what's with that face..?!", I say, the heat in my cheeks returning. Just what I needed, my bud teasing me! The Night Fury rolls his green eyes at me as he walks past me, giving me a light whack with his tail. Geez, I really should do something with his attitude... But I guess my bud has a point. I need to decide what I should do with these feelings...

...R-right after we check this place out, of course! I'm not stalling for time, no, no, no. It's JUST... priorities, right! Right!

* * *

Just as the map said, this huge mansion was a library, and it certainly looked the part. While it lacked any bookshelves, it had the next best thing: walls lined with thousands and thousands of books. The four walls of the library served as bookshelves and given the dimensions of this place, I can only imagine the quantity of books stored in this place. The only other thing in the library aside from the books were four giant tables in the middle of the room, which already had piles of books on them, set aside for later reading.

This library had a home-y feel to it, what with the green rug and the grand chandelier shining brightly over us. It honestly made me want to settle down on one of those tables and grab a book for a nice read. However, one aspect ruined that atmosphere.

Monobear.

Or rather, a statue of him. The bear held a pose of confidence, paws on his hips and head held high. The statue itself was big and noticeable due to its light blue coloring, and it was facing the four tables with a watchful eyes from its stand. Around the statue I could see pieces of rubble surrounding it... and I also could see Jack, who was eyeing the statue with disdain.

Yeah, I understand that feeling. What a bad piece of decoration. But I suppose Monobear just can't help to remind us that this whole camp is under his control. I make my way over to Jack, stepping carefully around the rubble until I'm next to him. From where I'm standing, I see a plaque which I hadn't seen and curiousity gets the better of me. Unsurprisingly, the plaque has been vandalized crudely with a red marker, and it now reads:

_"Out with the old geezers and in with the new and sexy Monobear! This statue is dedicated to me, myself and I because... I deserve it, yes!"_

I let out a sigh. Yep... the Headmaster is at it again. But judging by the text in the plaque and the rubble around the stand... I'm guessing there was another statue here before Monobear put up his and destroyed the other one. But was there a reason for that? Or was Monobear simply being a jerk?

"Oh! Mr. Hiccup! Mr. Jackson! Nice to see you!"

We both turned around at the greeting, and we saw Rapunzel, accompanied by Fishlegs who was carrying a dangerously tall pile of books that threatened to tip over, walking towards us. The Ultimate Painter shoved the books she was carrying on to the Ultimate Encyclopedia's pile before greeting us with a smile.

"Hello, Rapunzel."

"Hey, Punzie."

The Ultimate Painter looked at us through narrowed eyes and pursed lips, focusing on Jack's face before opening her eyes wide.

"Mr. Jackson... did you and Mr. Hiccup bond again? Your bruise is bigger..."

Jack smiled bashfully, "Yeah, I guess you could say that..."

"Um... actually," I interjected, "a door did that, not me."

"So I'm guessing the one who gave Jack that bruise was Snotlout, then?", said Fishlegs as he put down the pile of books in a nearby table.

"Heh... was it that obvious?", I answered. Of course Fishlegs would notice.

"Hiccup please. I doubt you would seriously hurt Jack. You two seem too close to actually fight. And the only other person who would go out asking for trouble is Snotlout so I just connected the dots.", said the Ultimate Encyclopedia with a smug look.

"Aw... but I was sure Mr. Hiccup and Mr. Jackson were bonding like in that book I read..", said Rapunzel disappointed.

"Hey, Punzie?", said Jack suddenly, "Why do you keep calling me Mr. Jackson?"

Oh yeah, that's true. She also started to call me Mr. Hiccup all of a sudden. "Yeah, now that you mention it... you never called me Mr. Hiccup before... so why?"

The Ultimate Painter lowered her gaze embarrassed. "Oh? Was I doing something wrong? It's just... I read in a book that you should always greet other people like that in order to make a good impression..."

"You really do believe everything you read, huh?", I say with a smile.

"Well, you can drop it. Jack's just fine. Calling me Jackson makes me feel like a Dad or someone old...", said Jack with a disgruntled expression.

I had to nod. Mr. Hiccup is... too formal and it makes me feel like I'm someone important, which I'm not.

"Sorry...", said Rapunzel with a shy smile, "It's just... I've never interacted with kids my age... or the outside world that much. Everything is new to me!"

That's... odd. I'd expect someone that's called the Ultimate Painter to be famous and world-weary, with lots of friends. And Rapunzel is certainly friendly enough go make them... so...

"Well, don't worry about it.", said Fishlegs with a fond smile. "You can learn about a lot of things here. With the amount of books here, I'm sure we'll find out something about our situation between us three!"

"Wait, three?", asked Jack, curious.

"Oh yeah! Peter is helping us! He's probably somewhere reading...", said Rapunzel excited.

"Yep. So don't worry guys. We have this place covered! We'll share our findings at the restaurant, so you can look forward to something later!", said Fishlegs with a twinkle on his eyes.

Jack shrugged. "Well, I'm not much for reading, anyways." With arms behind his head, the white-haired teen began to walk backwards, facing me, with a grin on his face."Shall we, Hic?"

Truth be told, I wanted to actually read some of the books... but I guess we don't have time for that. I nod at Jack and follow him, putting my hopes on the three Ultimates on the library.

* * *

Turns out there was nothing past the library. No more path, only a cliff. I don't know how high this resort is, but the fact that I could see clouds below us was not reassuring. So without anywhere else to go, we returned to the Final Clearing and we took the north path this time.

Ever since I saw that wooden pole and the cottages in the Arrival Plaza... I've had this nagging feeling on the back of my head. The style and the carvings... seem familiar. But why?

The answer to that question came to me as soon as arrived at the next area, the Grand Square. It was a circular clearing, devoid of any forests, at the foot of a looming mountain. Cottages sat at the edges of the clearing , surrounding it, all in the same style as the ones seen on the Arrival Plaza. And in the middle of the square there were... Vikings. Statues of Vikings... all too familiar... Waaay too familiar to be a coincidence.

Yes, I was sure now. This whole resort was designed to look like Berk. I could even see a mock up of the Grand Hall carved into the mountain's base.

But... why? Why would Monobear do this? Was he messing with us... with me? But what for?

"Hic, you OK?"

Jack's worried tone of voice snaps me out of my reverie. "Y-yeah... I'm alright. It's just... this place looks a lot like my village..."

The Ultimate Mystery's eyebrows shot up in shock, taking a look at the place with more interest. I share a look with Toothless. Yeah... he recognizes the place too... but without any of the people we know... this place just isn't the same, no matter how well recreated it is.

In any case, we need to search this place. If the Headmaster thinks I'm going to be dissuated by this trick, then he's got another thing coming. Jack and I exchange a nod before we split in order to investigate all the cottages.

Unfortunately, many of them are locked or entirely empty and devoid of anything, even furniture. It makes me question what was Monobear's reason behind making these...

There is one building, however, that sends me down memory lane.

A perfect replica of the forge I used back in Berk. I exchange a look with Toothless before we walk over to check it out. To my surprise, it isn't exactly empty. Though it lacks any of the tools or materials I had back in Berk, the forge installed on it is actually real and functioning. And I guess Flynn being here also qualifies as not empty.

"Yo, Hiccup!", greets the Ultimate Thief jovially as he snoops around the place, a glint in his eyes... I'm aware this isn't actually MY forge but the way he's looking around... I feel like he's about to steal from my forge.

"Hey... um, what are you doing, Flynn?", I ask, trying to suppress that nonsensical feeling I was having.

The Ultimate Thief sighs, running a hand through his hair, before answering. "Nothin' much. I'm trying to look for clues but no luck so far. And you? You are the Ultimate Lucky Student, after all."

I shake my head. "Nothing so far... but I think Fishlegs, Rapunzel and Peter might find something..."

"Really? Well... better than nothing I suppose.", says Flynn as he leans on a familiar table with his arms crossed. "I hope they find something... I'm getting tired of being cooped up. I want to stretch my legs and do some sightseeing, man..."

I can't help but to feel uneasy at the way he says that. Apparently my uneasiness shows in my face, because the Ultimate Thief smiles. "Relax, kiddo. I'm a thief, not an assassin. I was just whinning. No need to be so uptight."

"Hahah-h-a... I guess I'm just a little stressed...", I answer. Flynn nods as he stands up straight and begins to walk towards the exit. "I hear ya. I guess I'll take a walk to let off some steam. See ya later, Hiccup. Hopefully with some clues!" and after patting me in the back (far more roughly than necessary, might I add), he leaves.

I... I'm just worrying myself over nothing right? There's no way Flynn would ever... yeah, right! He wouldn't... right?

"Aha! So that's where you were!"

Jack's deep voice startles me, making me jump. I really need to get my nerves in check!

"Whoa, what's this place?", asks the white-haired idiot as he looks around my work station with wonder. I briefly explain to him what a forge is and he snaps his fingers, suddenly recalling one of the things we talked about back when we first met in that room we all awoke in.

"Oh! So this is where you make all your inventions and weapons?"

"All my useless inventions, yeah... but... yeah! This... is the place where I make the magic happen! Or at least, a place that looks like it." I shake my hands half-heartedly in front of me. "Tah daaaah..."

Jack snickers at my gesture, but resumes his gazing, taking all details of the place in, before suddenly zeroing on me. "Sooo... you going to show me your trade or what?"

"E-excuse me?"

He rolls his eyes. "I want to see you work, Hic. Care to give a demonstration?"

I... certainly wouldn't mind but... "While I would love to make a fool of myself for your entertainment, I can't make anything without tools or materials."

Jack's expression falls at my comment. "You're doing that again, you know? Stop selling yourself short, Hic. Pun not intended." He looks at me dead serious. "I bet the things you create are amazing! I just want to see you make something, is all. Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to make something that will let us escape!"

I scoff at that. As if that would ever happen. "I... seriously doubt it, Jack. But...", I say, not meeting his gaze, "I guess I could make something for you... after we're done with this investigation... just don't expect something grand, OK? I'm not the Ultimate Craftsman for a reason..."

Despite me saying that, the Ultimate Mystery looks beyond himself, expression all giddy "Well, what are we waiting for?", he says as he grabs my arm and pulls me out of the forge, "Let's get this over with!"

Haha... of all the things that could motivate him... well, I guess that's Jack for you.

* * *

The Grand Square has four exits, each one positioned like the cardinal directions: North East, West, South. We came from the South, the Final Clearing. I'm greatly interested on the Grand Hall look-alike that's situated north, so I propose to Jack that we investigate it first, to which he readily obliges.

As soon as we climb the steps and open the giant wooden doors, I'm treated to blast from the past. Down to every detail, the Grand Hall is exactly the same. Even the ElectroID map labels it as such. However, much like the Berk village imitation outside, this place feels odd without Vikings roughing it up, eating or simply talking. Like an empty husk, is the expression. There are some notable difference, however.

First, is the fact that the doors have a digital lock installed on them, though it remains inactive. Second, there are more cameras and monitors installed on the stone pillars that support the room, along with some machine guns for good measure. Third, all the Viking tapestries and banners that hung back on the walls of the Berk version of the Grand Hall have been replaced with Monobear-themed ones, some of them displaying... questionable poses.

I guess my Viking pride is stronger than I thought... because seeing those banners is making me grit my teeth with anger. And I would've expressed my anger if North's looming figure hadn't been walking straight at me with a stern expression.

I instinctively got out of his way, but it seems North's mind was somewhere else because he didn't notice me as he exited the building.

"North, wait!"

Tooth's voice made me look back into the Grand Hall. Sure enough, the Ultimate Dentist was in the middle of the room, looking flustered. "Ooooh, that man doesn't heed a word I say! I swear, he needs to take things more slowly!", she said to herself as she paced in a circle before she noticed we were there, a pink blush filling her rosy cheeks.

"Oh! I didn't see you there, boys! Here for a little investigation?"

I nodded.

"What's up with Nick, Tooth?", asked Jack as he pointed in the general direction of North's retreat with his thumb. Uneasiness appeared on the Ultimate Dentist's face as she regarded the question, before nodding to herself.

"Well... we were searching the place together. We initially didn't find anything, but I bumped on one of the banners and suddenly, a folder fell out behind it! I was shocked, but you should've seen North's expression when he read it!", she then started to bite her thumb.

"He abruptly decided to hold a meeting on the restaurant after he finished looking at the folder's contents. I'm guessing he's going around informing everyone right now..."

Huh... that's... odd for North. Whatever he read in that folder must be pretty big.

"Any idea of what that folder is all about, Tooth?", asked Jack.

The Ultimate Dentist shook her head. "I didn't get a chance to look at it, but..." she tilted her head to the left, "the folder itself was blue and it had this weird logo on it... I think it said **'Future Foundation'**?"

Huh? "**Future Foundation**? Not **Hope's Peak**?", I asked, to which Tooth nodded.

What's... going on? What is the Future Foundation? Do they have anything to do with this, whatever they are?

"Ugh... this doesn't make any sense.", Jack groaned, "and we didn't even get to check this resort completely!"

"But... I guess we don't have a choice. We need to go to North's meeting. Maybe we'll learn something there...". Or at least, I hope so.

"I'm gonna go ahead, in that case." said Tooth with a slight worried expression. "See you there, boys." And with her labcoat billowing as she walked hurriedly past us, she left.

I didn't have to look at Jack to see that he was confused. And tense. I was too. For some reason, I had this foreboding feeling...

"Well, no use in hesitating", said Jack as let out a big sigh, "Let's go, Hic."

"Yeah... Let's go bud.", and with Toothless' growl of consent, we made our way to the cable car, as I tried to calm myself for the meeting.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

Hic was tense and silent on our return trip to the Rec Area, but I understood his feelings. It didn't meant I liked seeing him like that, but somehow I figured this wasn't the time for jokes.

By the time we reached the restaurant, the sun had already set and night had come to the camp. We really lost track of time up there.

Thankfully, we weren't the last to arrive, because as we entered the restaurant and sat down at our places, Bunny entered after us, all bundled up with a sweater and a scarf. The Ultimate Survivalist sat next to us and though it was muffled by the scarf, I could hear his grumbling. "Bloody snow... hate that thing more than anythin'..."

I had to chuckle at that. Who'd knew Bunny was such a weakling in the cold? Of course, my laughter came at a price, and I had to hiss as I rubbed the arm Bunny had punched.

"You deserved it.", came the voice of Merida and Hiccup in unison, both of them looking amused by my pain.

"Glad to know you're on my side." I grumbled.

North's voice soon rang over everyone else's, asking us to tell everyone what we discovered. Anna and Elsa spoke up first.

"East of the Grand Square...", began Elsa, "We found an hotel of sorts called 'Virtue's Last Reward'."

"Charming." muttered Peter.

"But! We didn't actually get to check it out!", said Anna, interrupting Elsa, "Because Monobear didn't allow us to get past the lobby!"

"How come?" asked Snotlout.

"Apparently, the place needed to be cleaned first, so Monobear only allowed us to wander around the lobby, but we were prohibited access to the guest rooms." said Elsa with an annoyed expression.

"Yeah... Monobear himself was cleaning! He was wearing a maid costume! He looked super cute!" said Anna more excited than normal.

"I... sincerely doubt that." said Hic, and the Ultimate Hiker visibly deflated.

"Aside from that, we didn't find anything useful, and I don't think we'll ever use those guest rooms anyway." said Elsa, finishing her report before sending a glare to the little Viking which he didn't see. What's her deal?

"Next is us!" shouted Merida as she stood up excitedly, "Aster and I found somethin' awesome! Y'know how that whole place is called 'Monobear's Bone Chillin' Resort?" A few mumbled yeahs came at the question. "Well, I found the resort part east of the Grand Square!"

"That we did..." said Bunny visibly less excited."Bloody big hill with a ski lift installed and a shack where a Monobear bloke was renting out skiing equipment and snowboards and sleds. The whole deal."

"Ok... but did you find something USEFUL?", asked Flynn, unimpressed.

Merida glared back at the Ultimate Thief. "Well, did YOU find somethin'?!"

"Don't dodge the question!"

"Well, don't do it too, either!"

"Arrgh, we didn't find anythin' else, only that!", shouted Bunny, breaking up the petty dispute.

"Well... at least we found something else to do here!" said Rapunzel with forced optimism. Not gonna lie... all those things do sound fun. But now is not the time. Nick's face isn't looking very jolly right now and that's never a good sign.

Next, Hic tells everyone about the A/V Room, the Final Death Room and the forge. When Hic reveals to everyone that the resort was modeled after Berk, everyone reacts with surprise. Of course, no one can explain why. "Maybe Monobear is only messing with me?" he says tentatively.

That... doesn't sound right but I can't think of any other explanation. So... is the Headmaster just playing around.

In the silence that follow us, suddenly North clears his throat. As all eyes fall on him, the Ultimate Sculptor stands straight up to his full height while he holds the blue folder Tooth mentioned.

"As we investigated Great Hall, Tooth here found most upsetting document.", said North as he opened the folder and dropped it on the middle of the table. Photos of students we didn't recognize and sheets of paper were inside... but there was something in the photos that stood out.

Monobear.

"Apparently, we are not the first ones to be subjected to Mutual Killing nonsense.", said North with a grave expression.

"What do you mean, Nicholas?", asked Pitch as he picked up a photo of a girl with messy dark hair, big glasses and a nervous expression.

"This file mentions an incident similar to what is happening to us called "The School Life of Mutual Killing"." said Nick with a tired face, "And it took place in Hope's Peak Academy."

Stunned silence filled the entire restaurant at his words.

"You're kidding, right?!", asked Flynn, but Nick's shaking head answered the rhetorical question.

"But that can't be...", said Elsa.

"I never heard about something like that ever happening!", said Rapunzel.

"Me neither. I wouldn't have accepted the fucking invitation if I had known that!", shouted Snot.

"How could Hope's Peak Academy allow such a thing to happen?", said Tooth, aghast.

"They did not sponsor this.", said Nick as he looked over the files strewn on the table, his eyes focusing on the picture of a thin boy with a black and olive hoodie, messy brown hair and gray eyes, "The file says that a Puppetmaster infiltrated the school and took over, forcing the 15 students trapped inside to kill each other."

Puppetmaster forcing them to kill each other...?

"So, M-Monobear was behind that too?", said Fishlegs as he took in all the information.

"He is in the pictures..." said Merida as she looked a picture of a very buff looking woman with long white hair fighting the aftermentioned bear.

"I guess this means that Monobear isn't affiliated with Hope's Peak after all...", said Hic as he looked at a picture of a girl with short brown hair, a green button up shirt and a brown skirt.

"Then... what the bloody hell is he? If he's not with Hope's Peak... then who is he with? And how could he get away with this once and do it again?!", asked Bunny, looking angry.

"I do not know." said Nick as he rubbed his left eye with his hand, "The file does not mention the identity of the Puppetmaster nor its fate."

"And... what of the students?" asked Elsa.

Nick shook his head. "The file only details their ordeal until only six of them remain... after that, the report ends abruptly."

Well, that's disappointing, but expected. I doubt Monobear would leave such important details on the open. But it does raise some questions...

"Who made this file anyway?" asks Tuffnut as he glares at a picture of a guy with spiky black hair, white uniform and red eyes.

"The file bears a logo unlike any I've seen before. Apparently, the organization that made this file is called the Future Foundation.", says the Ultimate Sculptor.

"Never heard of it.", says Ruff with a shrug.

"Me neither...", says Anna. I sincerely doubt any of us know about it.

"Do you think they're the ones that imprisoned us here?", asks Rapunzel, her eyes darting here and there as she looks around the room.

"Hey, yeah! Maybe Monobear is working with them!", shouts Snot as if he had figured everything out.

"I guess that's possible...", says Hic, to my surprise, "I mean... I don't think a single person is capable of pulling this off... twice at that! So even if the Future Foundation isn't behind our imprisonment... I think its safe to assume that Monobear isn't working alone."

A hum of agreement can be heard across the room.

"But... why?", I suddenly speak up. "Why would they need to do this again if they did it once already? What's the purpose of repeating the same thing?"

"Maybe they're just sickos?", offers Tuffnut.

"Or maybe they're trying to achieve something?", says Tooth.

"But Monobear's goal is supposedly to make us despair... was that his goal back then?", says Hic, looking deep in thought.

"What was it that he said at the Class Trial? That he wanted to 'show everyone that Hope is infinitely inferior to Despair?'", asks Pitch.

"What kind of shitty goal is that?!", says Snotlout.

"One that he takes very seriously, mate...", mumbles Bunny, looking aggravated. "I mean, look at how far he went before and now... this bugger is serious."

Despite how nonsensical it is to us, it's clear Monobear is fully commited to his goal. But despite all we've heard, we only ended up with more questions. This whole thing... is obviously bigger than we imagined, though. It goes beyond a simple kidnapping, that's for sure.

With a sigh, Nick speaks up again. "Alright Fishlegs, give us your report." The Ultimate Encyclopedia actually yelps with surprise, unable to say anything as he sees everyone focused on him. Rapunzel takes pity on the blonde and speaks up for him.

"Fishlegs, Peter and I investigated the library on the edge of the resort. There were lots of interesting books there! Like, for example, one about how to make a rollercoaster in your backyard and one about the effects of zero-g on porpoises and-!"

"Ugh, just what we needed, another Fishlegs." groaned Ruffnut, interrupting Punzie's ramble.

"So more useless factoids then? I was expecting something important, the way Hiccup talked about you three." said Flynn, to Hic's and Punzie's embarrassment.

"We did find something important!" shouted Fishlegs annoyed as he grabbed a book from a chair behind him. A rather... old one at that.

"What is that musty old thing?" asked Elsa, clearly unimpressed.

"This... is Hope's Peak Academy's student record. It contains all the students that have attended the school." said the Ultimate Encyclopedia clearly proud of himself.

"...And?", asked Tuff, his eyes narrowed.

"Well, you know how our ElectroIDs show the hour and date?", asks Fishlegs.

"Well, that's quite the topic change, but yeah." says Hic as he tries to follow Fishlegs' train of thought.

"Well, this book naturally records the entry dates of all the students. However..." the blonde boy pauses, looking uncertain, "There's some peculiar things about ourselves in here."

"You see... right now, the year is obviously 2014 right? Well... the registry date for our class is actually 2009."

The information starts to sink in.

"That's crazy talk mate! I clearly remember enterin' the school on 2014!", says Bunny, obviously not taking the information well.

"Yeah, me too! There's no way I forgot the date either!", says the Ultimate Heavy Lifter as he slams his fist on the table, making Fishlegs flinch.

"Hey, don't get mad at me! I'm just telling you what the book says!", protests the Ultimate Encyclopedia.

"And that's not all...", says Punzie. "The book has profiles of us on it and... the pictures used on the records... look exactly like us. As if we hadn't aged in those 5 years."

"But that is clearly impossible!", says Nick, his eyes wide.

"I don't feel any different." says Tuff with a shrug.

"Me neither... still a talking fishbone... same as the day I entered the Academy." says Hic with a half-hearted laugh.

So what gives? We all remember entering the Academy in 2014 but the records state that we entered 5 years before? And that we apparently didn't age in those five years? What the hell? How can we even explain that?!

"Ugh... my head hurts." says Ruffnut as she lets her face fall on the table.

"Maybe Monobear did something to us?", said Anna.

"You'd better not say something ridiculous like 'he made us immortal', Anna..." warned Elsa.

"Of course not!", said the Ultimate Hiker, with an indignant scowl, "I meant... maybe he messed with our brains and that's why we remember things differently?"

"It's possible...", I conceded, "I mean... I'm living proof. Monobear sure messed with me good; I can't remember a thing about myself or my talent."

"Weeeell... about that." said Punzie hesitantly, her eyes looking at the book in Fishlegs' hands.

"Huh? What do you mean by that?", I ask, but Rapunzel seems to realize that she spoke without thinking, because she clams up. I focus on the Ultimate Encyclopedia, who is fidgeting as he looks at me.

"Fishlegs... what's wrong?" I ask him tentatively as I see the large boy's eyes, filled with... distrust?

"I... I don't know if I should say this...", says Fishlegs, clearly uncomfortable with the attention he's getting.

"Just speak up and be done with it!", demands Merida.

"It's just! Oh crud...!", shouts the Ultimate Encyclopedia as he runs a hand through his hair. "Jack isn't here!"

...

Huh...?

"What do you mea-", begins Nick, but Fishlegs continues to speak, his eyes shut tight as he does. "Jack's profile isn't here! Or anywhere! He's just not in the school records at all!"

...What?

"But how could that be?", asks Tooth, confusion clear on her face. "I mean, he us a student of Hope's Peak Academy, right? So he should be there, right?"

Yeah... I should be there... so why?

"It's because Jackson isn't an Ultimate Student. That's why he's not there." says Pitch suddenly, throwing a manila folder on the table over the Future Foundation file, a profile with a picture of me clipped on it.

But the picture... that boy looks like me... but his eyes... are not blue... and his hair is brown...? Not white? That... can't be me. And yet the profile clearly reads 'Jackson Overland'... So... why?

"What is the meaning of this, Peter?!", asks Nick, outraged.

"Yeah! Jack... is obviously an Ultimate! That's why he's here, because of an ultimate talent!", says Hic in my defense.

"But that's where you're wrong, Haddock.", says Pitch as he looks at me with disdain. "Jackson isn't an Ultimate at all. He doesn't even possess a talent. He's just a normal, average, talentless teenager from **Hope's Peak Academy's Reserve Course**."

...Haha... This... is a joke, right? Pitch is just trying to get a rise out of me, right?

Soon he'll smile creepily and he will say something like, 'Just joshing you'. Right?

...Why?

...Why?! Why isn't he saying it? He can't possibly be serious?

"What are you talking about?", I hear Hic say.

"I know you are confused. I was too when I first found this file stashed away on the library, but allow me to explain." Pitch's silk-like voice can be heard clearly through the restaurant, everyone's attention on him.

"According to this file, Hope's Peak Academy's student body is composed of two branches." He lifts two fingers as he speaks. "The main branch is the one we belong to, the Ultimate Class; the one that educates those that possess an Ultimate talent." Yellow eyes land on me and a sneer appears on the pale teen's face. "And the Reserve Course branch, where the normal, talentless hacks who want a taste of Hope's Peak Academy's glory pay their way in. That's the group Jackson belongs to."

That... can't be...

"So... the reason Jack can't remember his talent?", says Elsa, trailing off.

No... I just! Forgot it! I have a talent!

"It may be because he never had a talent to begin with." Pitch says. "He's not one of us; he bought his way into the academy."

"H-Hold on...! That's not true! I...", I want to protest but, "I do have a talent! I... just forgot it but if you give me more time I'll-"

"Hey...", interrupts Flynn, his eyes narrowed as he looks at me, "Didn't Monobear say the traitor was 'pretending' to be our friend? What if..."

"Shut up, Flynn!", screams Merida at the Ultimate Thief. "Are you even hearing what you're sayin'?! There's no way Jack is the traitor!"

"Yeah, guys... Like... jumping to conclusions because of a file that may or may not be real? We can't do that...", says Hic looking more determined than usual. "If anything, we all know Jack by know and sure, he's a little prankster and obnoxious sometimes, but he's our friend! I trust him."

I'm relieved to see them rising up to defend me, and to see that they trust me. But...

As I look at the supposed picture of me, doubt starts to grow within me. Is that really who I am? A nobody? But then what about my flashes of memory?

Who am I? What happened to me...?

A buzz resounds on the quiet room, and one of the monitors lights up, Monobear's unamused face showing on it.

"Um... it is now 10 PM! Night Time has begun! Please vacate the premises and return to your cottages, you bastards. Have pleasant dreams and don't let the traitor get you! Puhuhuhu!"

With a sigh, Nick steadies himself. "Guess this meeting is adjourned. Go and rest. We will talk more about this in morning.

Despite being surrounded by people as they filed out of the restaurant, I felt lonely. Somehow, hearing everything Pitch said... made me feel inadequate. Because, even if the file is fake... I just realized how different I am from everyone. No memories, no past... and maybe no talent at all.

I don't belong here... or anywhere else. I don't have anywhere to go back to.

Someone bumps into me and I turn to see Hiccup, looking at me with inquiring eyes. The auburn-haired kid huffs before grabbing my wrist, forcing me to follow him out of the restaurant, Toothless greeting us as soon as we exit the building.

We walk in silence slowly through the camp, not a sound can be heard except those of our steps, Hic facing forward all the time, preventing me from looking at his face and from gauging his emotions in those telling green eyes of his.

Having enough of the silence. I plant my feet on the ground, forcing us to stop. Hiccup looks at me with a confused expression, his eyebrow arched. "Jack...? What's wrong?" he asks before a grin spreads on his lips, "Don't tell me you're scared of the dark?" he jokes, just like we always do. As if nothing was wrong.

It's bothering me more than it should.

"Why?", I ask the confused Viking, "Why are you still hanging out with me?". I should be grateful about this, but I just can't believe Hic accepted the news so easily.

Said Ultimate Lucky Student snorts at my question, rolling his eyes. "Really, Jack? You think I care if you have a talent or not? Look at me, I mean..." he gestures to himself "I got picked by a raffle and I'm a walking disaster. I don't think I'm in any position to judge."

Hic lets go of my wrist and walks closer to me, putting a shy hand on my shoulder. "Believe me, you could be the Ultimate Toilet Cleaner or just a normal teen, but you're... you're still you, Jack. Talent or not, I'm your... your friend, OK? Nothing will change that. Reserve Course or not."

A warm feeling spreads on my chest at those words. I guess Hic did mean what he said back at the cable car. I can't express how grateful I am. So instead I chuckle and decide to joke back. I guess... that's the best way to show that his words reached me.

"Really Hic? 'Ultimate Toilet Cleaner'?", I tease.

The Viking blushes and looks away, flustered, "S-shut up. I panicked and blurted the first thing that came on my mind!"

"So whenever you think of me, a toilet pops up in your head?", I snicker, "You really have your mind in the gutter."

"I-it's not my fault your stupid white hair reminds me of a toilet!"

"Hic, you hurt me. It doesn't remind you of fallen snow? You're not very romantic, are you?"

"Who says this has to be romantic, you jerk?! That's it... this is the last time I'm cheering you up.", He threatens with a pointing finger.

"Oh nooo, anything but that!", I shout exaggeratedly as I drop to my knees and hug him, "How could I ever survive without your quality company?!" the truth of that sentence lost to him.

Hic squirms uncomfortably but doesn't try to break away from the hug, opting to chuckle nervously instead. I can feel his lithe frame under the fabric as he moves around... Huh... he's smaller than I remember... but that only makes me want to hug him more tightly and feel his warmth... but I control myself. I don't want to make this more awkward than it is for him.

"Y-yeah... you by yourself... haha... I bet you wouldn't last a day." He says.

I probably wouldn't.

And thus we joke and banter all the way to our cottages. I steal glances at Hic whenever he isn't looking and I can't help it. He's... just too interesting. The way his hair bounces when he moves faster than usual, the way he gestures when he gets excited... How his freckles only stand out more when he blushes at one of my comments.

Needless to say, the moment we say good night to each other comes too soon for my liking. But even though we learned a lot of unsettling things and even though those facts and possibilities about me are swirling on my mind... all of them are overpowered by my thoughts of Hic.

...Damn, I really like him a lot, huh?

And for the first time in what feels like forever, I fall asleep, content, without any nightmares visiting me.

* * *

**MONOBEAR THEATER**

* * *

"Maaan, I bearly appeared on this chapter... This sucks!"

"I'm the mascot character! Law dictates that I need to appear in all scenes in any given story, no matter how forced it feels. I won't stand for this neglecting of my character.

"From now on, Monobear will now appear in all sentences of this story. That's just how Monobear it is. It will be a Monobear story with a 100% more Monobear!"

"I Monobear hope you enjoy it! Look forward to your Monobear pal appearing more now!"

* * *

**Don't worry, Monobear was just joking. Or was he? I guess you'll figure it out soon.  
**

**I guess I should mention now that this story will have Danganronpa and Danganronpa 2 spoilers :^)**

**Thanks for the reads, you guys! Please do remember to keep voting and reviewing if its something you want. I mean, if you do vote, you'll be able to get to know more about the characters, and I'll get a fuzzy feeling in my heart in return as I read your reviews that curse my name for killing off characters. It's a nice trade off!**

**All joking aside, see ya soon! Next chapter will probably be slow and nice and definitely shorter than this. How do I know? Call it artistic license!**


	17. 2 - Chapter 2 - Normal Days C

**Chapter 2 - Living to the Fullest - Normal Lives C**

* * *

**Huh... this one actually took a while. But we're back and...! Unfortunately this is a rather sedated chapter. I'm sorry for that. At the very least, you'll get to read Free Time with Peter! That's going to be unique.**

**I've been told I update too fast. That's because I actually have tons of drafts already written. The draft pile doesn't stop getting taller. So I just finish the chapters and I post them. Hopefully the next one will be up soon.**

* * *

**Jack's POV**

I woke up well rested the next day, thanks to the fact that I didn't have a single nightmare. I almost wanted to sleep in, but I'd rather not worry Hic and the others, so when Monobear's morning announcement came, I grudgingly got out of bed. Deciding to change my wardrobe a bit, I swapped my blue pull-over hoodie for a zipper-toting blue one.

After getting dressed, I went out of my cottage to pick up Hic like always, but to my surprise, the little Viking was already up and waiting for me outside with Toothless, a nervous smile on his face. The gesture made me happy for some reason.

"Wow, you actually have more clothes aside from that blue hoodie?", said Hic as he took a look at my new get-up.

"Yup!", I said as I unzipped the hoodie, leaving it open to show off the white shirt underneath with a blue snowflake on it.

Hic rolled his eyes before muttering, "Of course, it has to be blue..."

"Shut it, freckles. As if your green and dragon ensemble was better." I said as I took a look at Hic's shirt. He was now wearing a (predictably) green long sleeved t-shirt with a round, boulder like outline of a dragon on the chest. The Ultimate Lucky Student blushed before saying "Touché."

At the urgency of Toothless, we made our way to the restaurant. I... wasn't looking forward to going there, but not going would actually make things worse, so I had no choice. Besides, Hic was with me and he being there was actually enough for me.

As expected, as soon as we entered the restaurant the room got quiet. I could feel the eyes of the others on me, but what hurt the most was the fact that some of them outright ignored me; Flynn in particular bothered me because I thought we had a pretty solid bond but the Ultimate Thief didn't even look at me as I walked past him and greeted him.

The only saving grace was the fact that at the very least I wasn't being attacked like Hic and that Merida and Aster had decided to join us two for breakfast. But the fact that everyone else wasn't trusting me...

"You OK, Overland?", asked Bunny as he looked at me with an inscrutable expression. I blinked in surprise. Was I making a face? Merida and Hiccup were looking at me now too.

"I'm alright.", I said with a forced smile. I didn't want to worry them this early in the morning. Besides, there was nothing to be done. I doubt I can make everyone trust me easily again, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up. I'll... win their trust back somehow.

Bunny and Merida turned their attention to their food, and so did I. But even as I took a bite of my breakfast sandwich, I could feel Hic's probing gaze. I guess I didn't fool him...

Nick called for everyone's attention after everyone finished their food, looking less grumpy than yesterday but still carrying that 'all-business' look. "Alright everyone. We shall begin today's meeting!"

"But what are we going to discuss?", asked Punzie.

"How about what are we going to do with the traitor?", said Flynn as he gave me a sideways glance, "We could alw-OW!"

The Ultimate Thief got interrupted by Merida's well-aimed plastic cup, leaving a red mark on Flynn's forehead, to the Twins' and Snot's delight.

"Nice shot." murmured Bunny to the Ultimate Archer.

Nick sighed. "No, we are not discussing traitor, for there is none. Instead, I would like to discuss plans for escape."

Elsa arched an eyebrow. "Oh? But I thought you were the one that said 'Let us try to live here in peace'?"

Nick shook his head slowly. "I wanted that, but after seeing that file and Monobear's actions, it would be foolish to stay here any longer." The Ultimate Sculptor cleared his throat. "So this is what we will discuss today. Let us brainstorm ideas for escape."

Snotlout was the first one to speak up. "Uh... why don't we just climb it? The wall, I mean?"

"Uh, how?!", said Merida with a roll of her eyes, "That thing is ridiculously tall an' like, completely smooth!"

"Trying to get a secure footing on such a smooth surface..." said Pitch in a quiet voice.

"It's impossible!" shouted Anna, "Take it from the Ultimate Hiker! Climbing that thing is not possible!", she finished looking proud of herself.

"Uh... you don't need to be an Ultimate Hiker to see that...", mumbled Hic, and I had to snicker.

"Plus, aren't there like, tons of guns and that electric wiring?", said Flynn as he continued to rub his forehead, "How do you propose we get over those?"

By now Snotlout was red from embarrassment. "Y-you'll see! I'll climb that wall and escape and then you'll have to beg for my forgiveness!", and after shouting that, the Ultimate Heavy Lifter crossed his arms and started to pout.

"Forget climbing, that's too much work.", said Tuffnut with a roll of his eyes.

"Let's burst our way through instead!", said Ruffnut with a dangerous shine on her eyes. This ought to be good...

"Thanks to these books and like, all that free time... we have tons of explosives at our cottage!", said the Ultimate Destruction male.

"So we can totally set them all to detonate and blow a big hole in the wall! BOOM!", said Ruff as she made an explosion motion with her arms.

"Escape route secured." finished Tuff, looking pleased with his plan.

"Uh... will it be safe?" asked Fishlegs, speaking for all of us in the room.

"Safe?" said Tuff confused. "Never considered that..." continued Ruff. Oh boy...

"Relax Fish. It's only 10 tons of explosives. We've worked with bigger loads." said Tuff nonchalantly.

"Where did you even get 10 tons of explosives...?!" asked Tooth aghast.

"We have a lot of spare time." said Ruff, looking bored, her brother shrugging nonchalantly.

"Does anyone else have a more sensible plan?", asked Elsa, exasperation shown on her face.

"Oh...! If only we could fly over that stupid wall!", whinned Rapunzel.

"Why don't we use the dragon?", asked Flynn, jerking his thumb towards the door, behind which Toothless was.

Hic looked down at the table, his expression hidden by his bangs, "Toothless... can't fly anymore. The accident damaged his tail fin. Without it, he can't control his flight or stay in the air. He'll crash before long." The tone of his voice seriously made me want to hug him, but ugh...

"Isn't there anything you can do?", asked Anna, who upon seeing Hic's reaction, decided to walk up to him, worry showing in her face. "Is there a way to fix his tail?", she continued, putting a hand on the little Viking's shoulder. Seeing her do that... awoke something inside of me that I hadn't felt before. I got angry... seeing her touch Hic... I wanted to push her away but... no, why? It's not like... Huh? Why am I even getting angry? This is a stupid... reaction.

"Something I can do..." Hiccup's voice brought me to the present. The little Viking was chewing his lip, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Maybe... but no... I need materials and a... a forge! That's it!" shouted Hic, excited all of a sudden.

And then he hugged Anna. And she returned the hug with a... dumb grin... on her face...!

Suddenly pushing her away didn't seem like a bad idea.

"Thanks, Anna! You gave me the push in the right direction."

"Y-you're welcome Hiccup..."

Hearing that tone of gratefulness in Hic's voice... was just too much. I had to look away from the scene. I really... really hated that! I didn't want to acknowledge that it had happened.

"What's this all about, kiddo?" I hear Flynn say. To my relief, that breaks up the hug, Hiccup oblivious to how much that had bothered me, and leaving Anna looking visibly disappointed. I really shouldn't get so happy about that, but I can't help it. This feeling is so foreign and disgusting... what's wrong with me?

"I think... I may be able to fix Toothless' tail..." says the Ultimate Lucky Student slowly, as if trying to choose the best words to express himself. "It's gonna take time and materials... but if everything goes fine, we'll be able to fly over that fence!"

"Well, if we can't find the exit before that, then I guess we have our back-up plan.", says Rapunzel with her head tilted, before flashing a smile. "We're counting on you, Mr... I mean, Hiccup! Oh and on Toothless too!"

Hic turned slightly red at Punzie's comment, his nervous habit of rubbing his left arm with his right hand showing. "I-I'll do my best...! Like I said, it's gonna take a while and I might need some help so-"

"I'll help!" I blurt out far more louder than needed, and the way everyone is looking at me, the way Hic is looking at me with a confused expression... I suddenly feel very self-conscious. I don't know a lick about forging, but I suddenly want to be with Hiccup more!

Just... what the hell is going on with my mind?

Thankfully, the small Viking takes my outburst in stride, smiling awkwardly but nodding at my offer for help.

"Very well, Hiccup. We will leave that to you." says Nick with a nod and an actual smile on his face. "Anyone else have more ideas for escape?" he asks, but the restaurant remains silent. Since no one else decides to speak up, Nick gives everyone a curt nod before standing up. "Alright then. You are dismissed for now. Let us strive to find way out. Do not hesitate to inform us all if you find something important!"

And with that, the meeting was adjourned. Immediately after that, Hiccup turned to face me with a probing gaze, his green eyes scanning all over my face slowly. "Uh... is there something on my face, Hic?" I ask, suddenly nervous about the way he's looking at me.

The little Viking smiles to himself and shakes his head. "No, I was just trying to see if I could figure out why you wanted to help me with my plan."

Well, there was no way I was going to admit that I volunteered only so that Anna couldn't offer her help. And there was no way I was going to admit that I also did it just to spend more alone time with him.

"Well... I-I... just wanted to see you work! Yeah!" I offered, the Ultimate Lucky Student rummaging the excuse before nodding. "Gee, are you really looking forward to see me mess up?", he narrowed his eyes with a mischievous grin on his face.

"What? No! I really am interested! I mean, I've never seen forging in action so I just... y'know... thought I could see it and learn from you?". Why am I trying to justify myself to him?! He doesn't really mind that I'm volunteering and he's joking most likely yet I feel the need to prove to him that I'm serious!

Is... is it me or is it hot here? Damn it... why am I wearing this stupid hoodie?!

Hic obviously looks confused at my explanation, his head tilted as he watches me with a searching gaze. "Well... if you're really serious about it and you want to learn... I guess you can be my assistant of sorts? I mean...", he says as he averts his gaze. "You're not going to actually do any forging or anything... you'll only pass me the tools. I... don't want you to get hurt or anything. Does... does that sound well?"

I nod eagerly, ready to leave this pit of awkwardness I buried myself into.

The little Viking shifts his weight and sways his arms, clearly not knowing what to say. "So... I guess... I'll see you later at the Grand Square? I need to, uh, make some designs first... draw and stuff... pretty boring things... so yeah, how about we split up for a bit? I'll IM you when I'm done."

"Yeah! Sounds good, see ya later Hic!", and with that and being unable to take the awkward atmosphere any more, I exit the restaurant perhaps a little too fast.

As I make my way to my cottage to cool down, thoughts flood my mind.

Jack, what the hell is wrong with you?! First that whole thing with Anna that made me livid... because...? I don't know! Why did I get angry?! And what was up with me after that?! Why did I get nervous all of a sudden around him?! I've never been like that around him, because there's no reason to be nervous around him! He has never judged my actions! So why do I feel the need to prove myself in front of him?

...Whatever the reason, I need to calm down. I can't keep acting like this around him or I'll end up worrying him and making things awkward. I need to get my act together so I can help Hic later.

...Maybe I should actually learn something about forging? Guess a trip to the library is in order in that case...

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

"What's with him?", asks Aster as we see the retreating figure of Jack.

"I have no idea." I answer sincerely. Jack was sure acting weird. He's always so laid-back and yet today he looked jumpy and unsure. "Do you think he's OK?", I ask Merida and Aster, my worry seeping into my words.

"Oh, I'm sure he's alrigh'", says the Ultimate Archer with a grin. Huh... she almost looks like... she knows what's wrong with him.

"Do you... know something, Merida?" I prod, but the redhead simply shakes her head with an amused grin.

"I have a hunch but... I can't tell ya Hiccup. He'll tell ya when he's ready."

Well, if that wasn't a cryptic remark! But if she says Jack is OK...

With a shrug, I turn to leave. "If you say so... in any case, I'll see you guys later!" I didn't want to leave but... I had to do my part in our escape. I didn't want to be alone but I also had this thing where I didn't like people seeing me drawing. It made me nervous, having an audience, so I had to do this by myself.

After saying my goodbyes to my friends, Toothless and I returned to our cottage. My idea was simple on paper; If Toothless' lack of tail fin was the problem, I simply had to supply a replacement. I had never attempted anything like this, but I had to try. Not only for our sake, but for my bud. I knew he missed flying a lot, despite the Night Fury's strong front. So if I could help him... it would make all the struggling worth it.

Of course, bringing my idea to life was going to be hard. Getting the measurements was a mission on itself, as Toothless didn't keep still long enough for me to get them. After chasing the Night Fury around my room (For almost 15 minutes! Gosh, Toothless this isn't a game!) and getting the dimensions down, I next started to sketch out the designs.

I went trough a lot of them, often having to remind myself that the design had to be practical first, flashy second (What can I say? I do love a bit of dramatic flair in my inventions...), and after admittedly tearing out 5 pages full of designs out of my sketchbook, I finally settled on a simple one: one similar to Toothless' other tail fin.

Having the design out of the way, I had to procure the tools and materials next. Thankfully, the supermarket had everything I had in mind. I had to wonder, though... the amount of foresight that went into making this camp is impressive. All things said, the fact that Monobear created this place with Toothless in mind was... odd. As if he had planned this for a long time. And I still couldn't figure out how he knew about dragons or how he even got one! Dragons were rare and only lived near Berk, so how...

OK, I should stop getting distracted. It's true that it bothers me but thinking about it without any clues is pointless, and asking the Headmaster? Even more pointless. So I had to focus on what I was doing. With the help of Toothless, I carried everything I got back to the cottage and stored them in a box. Carrying this over to the Grand Square is going to be a nightmare... Why didn't I ask Jack for help?

...Probably because I didn't want to get distracted by looking at him. How am I even going to survive the forging session with him tagging along?! Praying to Thor that I would leave the forge with all my limbs intact, I grabbed the sketchbook with my design notes and dropped it in the box along with everything else and with Toothless in tow, I left my cottage.

* * *

Designing the tail fin and picking up the materials took longer than I expected, and by the time I left the cottage, it was past noon.

However as I stepped out into the Lodging Area, I noticed someone by the fountain. That black ensemble of clothing was unmistakable; it was Peter... or 'Pitch' as Jack liked to call him. Wondering what was he doing by the Fountain, I left the box near Toothless and approached him slowly by myself, the Night Fury still not fond of the Ultimate Fear Expert.

"Oh, hello there, Hiccup.", said Peter nonchalantly as he noted my approach, his eyes lingering a bit on me before returning to watching the fountain.

"Hi... um... what's up?" I said, trying to strike a conversation with in hope of learning what he was doing.

"Oh, nothing much, really.", he said with smile. "I was just remembering this one person who was utterly terrified of water. Seeing this fountain... brought back those memories, I guess."

"Oh." was all I could say. That was... kinda creepy.

"Am I really that upsetting?", asked Peter with a confused look.

"Wha-?!", Nah... he couldn't possibly... have read my mind... right?

Peter chuckled at my outburst. "Oh, I'm not a mind reader, Hiccup. I just have very good intuition. Comes with my talent, is all." A grin spread on his face. "Besides, it's obvious that you aren't comfortable with my appearance."

I sighed. I didn't want to be rude but... "Yeah... I guess I am kinda creeped out a little. You just look like.. I don't know... someone that would kick a puppy and laugh?"

Peter considers my words before his expression falls a little, barely noticeable. "I... was afraid of that, pardon the pun."

Huh? I thought he dressed like that to scare people? I mean, he was the Ultimate Fear Expert, so naturally scaring people came with the job description, no?

"You seem to think that I enjoy being scary..." ACK! Can he stop doing that?! "But that's a mistake. I believe I said before that I only want to help others, right?" says Peter with a thoughtful look.

I nod. I did remember him saying so.

"Well, I can't really help anyone if they aren't comfortable enough to talk with me...", he says, and... maybe I'm seeing things, but I thought I saw loneliness in his eyes for a brief second.

"Well...", I said as I tugged at the hem of my shirt, "Maybe if you changed your wardrobe a bit, you'd intimidate people less?"

"Hmm... a wise suggestion... but...", and for the first time, I see a flash of insecurity on Peter's face. "I really... don't know how to do that. I've always dressed like this so..."

...You're seriously not saying that you only wear black?!

"Hm... troubling... but if I want to help others... But how do I start? Where do I..." mumbles the Ultimate Fear Expert as he strokes his chin.

"You... really want to help others... huh...", I say as I begin to believe his claims. The black haired teen nods at my comment. He sure is dedicated, that's for sure.

"I know this is bold of me to ask all of a sudden, but..." says Peter with a serious expression. "Would it be out of line to ask for your help?"

I'm taken aback by the question, but he looks serious. "A-re you that desperate for help? I mean... asking me for fashion tips? Really?", I say, nervous.

"Well, you're the only one who even talks to me, so yes... I AM asking this of you." He got a point there. What did I get myself into? "It doesn't have to be today, but I would really like for you to come with me to the supermarket to grab something that will make others comfortable around me."

Should I... help him? He really seems to be in a bit of a pinch, and after learning that I'm the only one who even talks to him...

"Alright... I'll do it. Don't expect much from me, though. I don't really have a good taste of fashion..."

A wide smile spreads on Peter's face. "On the contrary, my dear Hiccup. I'm very much looking forward to that day. I expect a lot from you." His smile turns into a grimace, "Unlike that phony Jackson. Talk about a disappointment."

OK... he can't badmouth Jack just like that! But before I can say something, Peter turns to leave. "I'll see you another day, Hiccup. Looking forward to it." And without even looking back at me, he left.

Peter Black...the Ultimate Fear Expert. He certainly looks the part. But despite his fearful exterior, the teen really shows a genuine interest on helping people, even though I'm not really sure how he does that just yet. Did I also imagine that hint of loneliness in him? And why does he loathe talentless people? He certainly is... an intriguing individual.

And I still can't believe I agreed to help him shop for clothes!

Walking away from that awkward encounter, I picked up the box I left with Toothless and set off for the Grand Square.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

It was 2 PM and I wasn't any wiser on the subject of forging. On one hand, I had learned a lot about handcrafts (I especially liked origami) but no matter how much I searched, I couldn't find a book about Hic's work. Sighing in defeat, I walked away from the bookshelves and plopped down on one of the chairs next to the tables that were set up on the center of the library.

I didn't dwell much on how disappointing my results were because my ElectroID started buzzing suddenly. I fished it out faster than I cared to admit, and sure enough, an IM from Hic was there, just like he promised:

"Hey Jack! i've got everything ready so how about we meet at the grand square? i'm on my way already! Toothless says hi, by the way!"

I smiled and typed out a response hurriedly.

"sure hic ill see ya there and tell toothless his hi has been received :)"

A feeling of excitement and nervousness ran through my body as I hit send. I couldn't wait to see Hic in action; if I had learned anything about him, it was the fact that he was far more talented that he let on. But I was nervous about getting in his way. Either way, I was looking forward to it.

"Hee hee, going on a date, are you?"

Monobear's sudden voice made me jump out of the chair. Landing hard on my butt, I glared at the bear who was looking at me with a shit-eating grin.

"I don't get it, Frosty..." began the Headmaster as he rubbed his chin in a contemplative way, "You could have literally anyone and you fell for Hiccy? I must say your tastes are despair-inducing!"

I stood up fast, anger surging through my body as the bear looked at me with an amused expression. "What do you want?! Can't you see I hate seeing your stupid face?!" I shouted.

Monobear simply giggled. "Gee, I only came to give you romantic advice and you yell at me... I mean." he turned his back to me, his arms crossed behind him, "It's truly hopeless, you know? Falling in love with someone who isn't endgame material... I wouldn't recommend it."

"What do you-", I started to ask, but the Headmaster interrupted me.

"I'm just saying! Why go for someone who is such an obvious kill? Why not go with someone who will surely survive? Like... if it were up to me, Hiccy would have died on the Prologue but I'm not the author of this tale, ya feel me? To me, he has this expendable character vibe that almost makes me want to push him off a cliff...", said Monobear as he spun to face me, a mocking grin on his face.

"Hiccup... will definitely survive.", I spat at the Headmaster. "I'll make sure of it, you'll see!" There was no way I... was going to let someone get Hic. Not any of the other guys, nor Monobear. Said bear merely laughed at my face.

"Ah, the refreshing foolishness of youth! I love it... I love it when fools in love make those empty promises full of bravado because...!", his red eye flashed, "Becauuuse... when those promises get broken, beautiful despair always follows! I can't wait, y'know? I can't wait until it happens!"

If it weren't for the rules, I would have chucked the bear a book. So, instead, I walked away from him, feeling myself shake with fury. I didn't need this... didn't need to hear Monobear's empty taunts... I had somewhere else to be.

"Don't blame me when things inevitably go wrong!" He yelled as I left the library. Things weren't going to go wrong... I wouldn't let them. He was going to survive... and we were going to escape. No matter what Monobear said.

* * *

It took me a few moments to calm down but by the time I arrived at the Grand Square, my head had cooled down. My mood became more cheery as I saw a familiar thin frame and a Night Fury approach me. Hiccup was balancing a box full of things I didn't recognize rather precariously and I was glad I decided to walk up to him to offer my help because he tripped. I caught him and the box before he fully tipped over, and he apologized softly.

"Apparently, snow makes me even clumsier.", he said as he kicked at the white substance with disdain, and I had to chuckle at that gesture. With box in hand, we started walking towards the forge, making small talk along the way.

"Were you waiting for long?", he asked as we entered the forge and took the box off my hands.

"Nah, I was already in the area. In the library." I said as I saw the auburn-haired kid take out the contents of the box one by one and setting them up on a big table.

"Oh?", he turned to face me with a sly grin. "I thought reading wasn't your thing?". Toothless entered the forge, sniffing around the room curiously, and Hic called him towards a big... empty thing I didn't recognize. It was made out of metal. They did that whole 'communicating without words' thing they had done before and within a few seconds, the big empty thing's insides were alive with fire courtesy of the Night Fury's plasma blast.

"Well... I... wanted to read about something... about how to forge and stuff..." I said as I felt the heat from that thing (I'm going to have to ask Hic what's the name of that!) spread through the building.

"Huh?", said the Viking as he opened his sketchbook to a page full of things I didn't recognize. "Why? Jack, I'm going to do it all by myself. I don't want you to get hurt." he said as he looked over the page, nodding to himself.

"But I want to help!", I protested.

"And you will! But! I'm not going to let you handle the forge without experience!", he said as he crossed his arms and looked at me with a stern expression, to show that he was standing by his decision. "Trust me, you'll help me in other ways!"

He... had a point. "Fine." I conceded, trying to not pout, but failing. Hic smiled at my expression and nodded. The Viking took out an apron from the box and put it on and then he grabbed the sketchbook and walked over to me.

...Damn, did that leather apron fit him well... I MEAN.

"So... what we're going to do is this..." said Hic as he stood next to me, the brush of his shoulder sending and electric current through my body. I tried to concentrate on what he was saying, though. "We're going to make a prosthetic tail fin for Toothless. With this, he'll be able to fly again and we can escape. Theoretically."

I swallowed hard, and nodded. I didn't know why but I felt fidgety from standing so close to Hic. I had the sudden urge to do all the things my memories showed me but I had to control myself! Geez, is this what happens when you have a crush? This sucks... "Sure! Let's start!", I said more enthusiastically than I had intended, walking over to the box in order to put distance between us and calm down.

To my torment, though, Hic walked up to me and put a hand in my shoulder, exacerbating those thoughts more. "Hold on...", he said with a grin as he pulled me away from the box. "You're going to help me with something else."

I stood there confused as the Ultimate Lucky Student rummaged through the box before putting a roll of leather, some scissors and... a needle a thread on my hands. Hic bit his lip as he saw me stare at him with a confused look before grabbing his sketchbook again and showing me a different page from the previous one.

"You're... going to help me make a saddle for Toothless.", he said with a bit of hesitation. "Y'know... for comfort during flight and... yeah." He said as he rubbed the back of his head, not really looking at me. "Can you do that?"

Well, I had never done something like this but I did learn something about handcrafting today so... how hard can it be? "Sure!", I said, feeling confident all of a sudden. Hic seemed to relax a bit at my answer. The little Viking gave me the page and with everything in hand, I set off to work in another table across the room. Toothless was curled next to the table and as I approached it, I could swear the Night Fury was looking at me with a smug expression...

Dismissing the thought (There was no way Toothless would know about my crush, right?!), I focused on my task. Thankfully, Hiccup had foreseen my lack of experience and the page he had given me was full of instructions and details on the diagram. I had to marvel at the amount of detail the sketch of the saddle had... this kid was really something else.

Volunteering to help Hic was both a good and a bad idea. Good because I was learning something new. Good because I got to hang around Hic. And good because I was doing my part to help. But it was bad because I kept getting distracted by the little Viking going at it. Honestly? I would've progressed far more quickly with my saddle-making task if I hadn't been so enthralled by Hic; he completely transformed when he was working. Normally, Hic had this nervous, pushover-like look (Even though he wasn't like that... entirely.), but the guy I was seeing right now was totally different.

His green eyes, normally darting here and there, were completely focused as he worked the metal. His movements, usually clumsy, were practiced and calculated as he hit a thin iron bar with a hammer in order to straighten it out. His fingers moved deftly as he assembled the wireframe of the prosthetic, quickly gaining shape as the little Viking toiled away. I had to look away when Hic went to wipe away the sweat of his brow with his forearm; God damn it, if this is torture for a prank I did in my past, I'm sorry.

Unfortunately, Hic caught me looking at him. Thankfully, he misinterpreted my gazing for something far more innocent. "Are you having problems with the... ah, saddle, Jack?", he asked with a worried expression. Toothless snorted next to me and that was my cue to return to work. "N-no... I'm doing okay! Really!", I said, cursing myself inwardly for stumbling over my words.

A loud sigh caught my attention. "Okay, you've been acting weird.", said Hic with an accusatory tone. "You know you can tell me anything, right?", he said in a softer tone, "I won't judge you or anything. Unless it's a stupid joke."

Right... you say that because you don't know what's happening inside me. But... maybe I should just... say it? I mean...

With a surge of courage out of nowhere, I turn to face him, ready to confess and... upon seeing his probing eyes, I lose my nerve. Well, almost all of my nerve. "Well... actually... I've been wondering...", I begin, and Hic's face softens as he listens, his arms crossed. "Err... I know this sounds weird but..." C'mon... Jack! Ignore the heat on your cheeks! Just shoot!

"I've been wondering if... ah, are you like... interested in someone... Hic?"

...

WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT JACKSON? That was NOT what I wanted to ask! Well, kinda but not like that! Way to shoot and miss the mark!

"Buh-wha?... excuse me?", says Hic, stunned by my question.

"Yeah... um... that. Like, do you like someone Hic?" I babble, cursing everything as I find myself dealing with the consequences of my question. The little Viking blushes as he hears my question again and he starts shuffling nervously in place and immediately my thoughts wander to the worst-case scenario- The Anna scenario.

"What the hell Jack... wh-what brought this up..." he half-mumbles, not looking at me before his head snaps up, eyes wide as he scans my face before narrowing them. "Wait... you've been acting weird because...?"

Did... did he figure it out? Did he discover my crush? Well, he is pretty smart, after all... I wouldn't be surprised-

"Are you in love with someone Jack...?" he says, his voice almost a whisper.

...I guess he doesn't really know. But why does he... seem afraid all of a sudden.

"Hey, don't dodge the question...!", I say to him louder than intended.

He scowls. "I-I'm not! I'm just... you know, answering yours with a question of mine...!"

"Hic, that doesn't maken any sense."

"I-it totally does...! So!" His blush intensifies now. "Are you...?"

"Answer you first...!"

"No, you!"

"C'mon, I asked first, so answer you first!"

"But I was the one who asked you first if you were alright so... technically I asked first! So! Answer you first!"

This was silly. And we had raised our voices louder than intended to. "Argh... fine! I do, OK?! I LIKE someone! There, happy?!", I shouted at last, getting fed up with the childish back and forth.

…

Awkward silence.

Hic's expression slowly changed from one of shock to a blank expression as he processed my outburst. "Oh..." was all he said as he lowered his gaze, not looking at me.

I felt bad for shouting at him, and this silence between us was getting awkward, so I cleared my throat before speaking. "Sorry for shouting, Hic... it's just..." I sighed as I ran a hand through my forehead, "I've never been in love with someone and I don't know what to do... how to be around them... that's why I've been on edge. And I... was wondering if you knew what to do...?"

Hic laughed hollowly, still not looking at me as he answered. "Well, I'm not really a romantic expert Jack. I wasn't exactly Mr. Popularity back in Berk... so I'm in the dark about all this, just like you..." The Ultimate Lucky Student turns back to his work, fully focusing on the prosthetic on the table as he continues his talk. "So... who is it, anyway?" He asks in a weird voice.

"Err... well... it really doesn't matter who it is..." I answer and I want to punch myself in the face. "I mean, it's not like they'll ever like me anyway. "

Another hollow laugh escapes from Hic's lips. "Well... you won't know unless you ask them. I mean, I guess that's the logical thing to do but what do I know?" he shrugs, "I mean, I know for sure I... would never get the courage to confess because they would certainly reject me... but you?" He turns to look at me and his smile... seems distant. "I'm sure they'll reciprocate if you tell them your feelings..."

Hic... is acting weird. But his advice seems logical... And yet... "Do you really think so...?" I ask him, still nervous and unsure about confessing.

"Sure, sure." he waves dismissively. "I mean... you're kind of a pain in the butt and a real knucklehead sometimes but... you're smart, you're nice, you're supportive and you know how to have fun." He pauses for a bit as he returns to look at the prosthetic fin. "Anyone who rejects you... yeah, I'd think they'd be a bigger idiot than you, if that's possible." He finishes that sarcastic remark with an awkward chuckle.

I take his words to heart. Yeah... I can... I can do this! If Hic really thinks that, then I'll..!

"Oh? And what do we have here?"

I groan as I hear that cartoony voice. This is the last thing I want to deal with. Sure enough, Monobear appears on Hic's work station, looking curiously at the prosthetic in the freckled teen's hands. "I see, I see... yes, beary interesting..."

Hic instinctively steps back, hiding the prosthetic behind him before glaring at the bear. "W-what are you doing here?!", he says, obviously shaken up.

"Hmm? I was just curious... and bored." says the Headmaster nonchalantly. "I mean... I heard noises and yelling so I thought for sure a murder was happening already! Alas... it was just you two having a lover's quarrel. How disappointing..."

"So sorry about that..." said Hic with clear sarcasm dripping from his voice. "I'll be sure to call you whenever someone tries to kill me so that you don't miss it."

The Headmaster, however, looked bored of Hiccup and instead walked over to my table, much to Toothless' dismay. The bear jumped clumsily on my table and looked at my halfway done saddle with mock interest. "Gasp!", he suddenly exclaimed, faking a blush, "Jackson, you naughty boy! To think that you're into horseplay... you're even making a saddle and everything!"

What? What is... that? I don't like how he said that... and apparently neither did Hic, as he looked extremely flustered.

"Geez, you guys... don't forget that rule before you do anything rash, OK? I don't want to punish you but if you guys get this naughty...", continued the bear, looking extremely amused.

"Shut up! It's nothing like that!", shouted the Ultimate Lucky Student, "Me and Jack... we would never...!"

My heart sunk. Oh... so... we would never... be what? Be together like in my memory? Does that mean he doesn't... feel that way?

The Headmaster's boisterous laugh filled the room. "Hahaha, chill! I'm just pulling your leg! Like I care about teen drama! Unless it has to do with killing! In any case, no murders are happening right now... so I guess I better fix that! Look forward to something soon! Buh-bye!" and with a wave of his paw, Monobear left the room, mumbling to himself something undecipherable.

I should be worried about that claim... I should... but right now, my mind's still reeling. Because Hiccup just rejected me. Sure, he didn't say it to me... but he still said... that we would never...

...Damn it... this really hurts...

"Talk about ruining the mood..." said Hiccup, as he visibly deflated. Yeah, you have no idea... "I think we should wrap up for today...", continued Hic, oblivious to the storm inside me as he looked at his ElectroID. "It's late already and I'm not really in a working mood now..."

"Yeah..." neither was I. I wasn't... in the mood for anything. I just wanted to lie down alone for a bit.

We made our way back to the Lodge Area shortly after tidying up the forge, and though Hic tried to lighten up the mood as we made our way to our cottage, I could tell he could tell my heart wasn't on it. By the time we reached our cottages, we went our separate ways with an awkward farewell.

Today... just didn't end as good as it had started... No, this day totally sucked. Having an unrequited crush sucked and I was sure things would go wrong one way or another soon thanks to a certain scheming bear.

My mind was swirling with so many negative thoughts that I didn't notice when I fell asleep.

* * *

**MONOBEAR THEATER**

* * *

"Object permanence is such a weird concept! Like, things continue to exist even when you aren't looking at them? What gives them the right to do that? What a self-centered attitude!"

"Things should stop existing when I don't acknowledge them! The whole world should revolve around me, Monobear!"

"...Wait... are you even looking at me when I talk to you?"

"Suddenly I feel very nonexistent..."

* * *

**:,(**

**Please do not hate me. Not yet. The worst is still to come. But hey, I'm trying to give them some breathing space before shit hits the fan. Meanwhile, I guess you guys can keep suggesting for more Free Time characters? Just so you know, it's OK to suggest a character you already hung out with.**

**But that's neither here or there. Be seeing you soon! And now back to my writer's lair.**


	18. 2 - Chapter 2 - Normal Days D

**Chapter 2 - Living to the Fullest - Normal Days D**

* * *

**Sorry for the lateness! These past days have been absolutely brutal! I moved countries and I was job hunting so my writing time took a gatling gun to the head. Incredibly busy time of the year! Hopefully this will stabilize soon because I miss writing hahaha!**

**Kind of a sedated chapter And short too. But its a transition one and its going to lead into a lot of things later on! No Free Time Events for now. Next time, a certain Ultimate Encyclopedia is going to get his time to shine! Thanks for voting!**

* * *

**Hiccup's POV**

Jack was starting to worry me. When he came up to pick me up, he seemed so out of it, his cheeriness and his smiles forced. His responses to my verbal jabs were simple 'yeahs' and blank stares and he looked like... well, like crap. Like he hadn't slept at all.

Was this really because of his so called crush? Did things go bad?

I was afraid to ask more about that.

It came to no surprise to me that Jack was interested on someone. Really, someone like him would certainly get a date with ease. But I had deluded myself into thinking that perhaps I had a chance... that the bond we shared meant something more. But it turns out I was wrong; we were simply going to be good friends. And nothing more.

And yet, it still hurt. It hurt me and it was silly because I was suffering for something that was never there to begin with. This one-sided crush was always going to end in disaster and getting too invested had cost me. But... there was nothing else I could do. Of course Jack would fall in love with someone else. And how could I compete against any of them? There was never a chance for me...

So... even if it hurts me... more than he'll ever know (it's not fair)... I'll support him... I'll help him be happy (Thor, it's not fair...!)

Or that's what I tell myself. But... but I can't bring myself to ask him more about the subject (You're a selfish brat, Haddock). I'm... not ready yet. But that doesn't mean I can leave him alone and sad like this. I need to find a way to cheer him up.

It's not like I'm the only one that's noticed Jack's weird mood, either. As soon as we entered the restaurant, Merida immediately questioned me when she saw Jack's face.

"Did ya two get in a fight again?"

Aster saw Jack's face and immediately commented with a smirk. "Gee, Frostbite, you look like crap. You should stop pickin' fights with the ankle-biter."

Predictably, Jack didn't react to Aster's jab. This made the Ultimate Survivalist scowl. "Ok... somethin's definitely wrong with the kid. What's wrong with him, Hiccup?"

I truthfully answered that I had no idea. Jack might as well not be there because no matter how much the other two asked him, he didn't react at all. This of course made us all worry even more, but before we could even ask him again, the Twins interrupted the breakfast meeting.

"Alright! We're wasting daylight here! Let's get going!", shouted Tuffnut as he pumped his fist agitatedly.

"But we have not even started breakfast meeting!" protested North.

"We won't need any of those where we're going!", answered Ruffnut, "After this, we'll be out of this camp for sure!"

"Does that mean...?" began Fishlegs, but the blonde boy was interrupted by the Ultimate Demolition Team's raised hands.

"You got that right! We're blowing up that wall!", said Tuff, "Right here, Right now.", finished Ruff, both twins wearing big smirks as they ran out of the building without looking if we we're even following. With a collective sight, we all followed the noisy duo, our interest picked by the outcome of their plan at least a little.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

It was with silent trepidation that we arrived at the Camp Gates. To our surprise, the school bus we all arrived in was still there. Guess Monobear was just that lazy. But now, the Headmaster's vehicle wasn't the only thing here. Somehow, the Twins had managed to bring all their explosives to this place, and there was an incredible variety of them. All imaginable shapes and colors could be seen on the pile of explosives and if I had any memory of these I might have been able to identify some of them.

But to be honest, my mind wasn't really focusing on the explosives.

I... still was hurting from yesterday. To think that I had a chance with Hic... I truly am an idiot. Of course those memories of mine... were fake. There's no way he and I would ever... be together. It was either a trap from Monobear or wishful thinking from my part. I should just... move on. Forget these silly feelings...

...But I can't. I can't stop feeling this way. I can't stay away from the lil Viking. I really wish I hadn't realized I was crushing on Hic... I just wish we could return to just being friends without any stupid feelings inbetween. But I can't return to that. It's so unfair... but I also can't stop being friends with him. He's... the only one who believes in me fully. He really is a true friend. And even though I REALLY WANT to hold him and never let go and... damn it! And even though I really want to be more than friends... I guess... being just that... is OK with me.

I just... have to concentrate... on something else!

Like the Twins' escape attempt.

From where I was standing (By myself. I was trying to keep my distance from Hic a bit in order to make this more tolerable), I could see the two blondes running around the pile of explosives, setting things up with a grin on their faces, snickers escaping their mouths at random intervals. I... was a little worried, but interested. I'd never seen explosives in action... or at least I don't remember seeing them, so I was curious, to say the least.

"Looks like they're having fun."

That nasally voice that's tormenting me comes from next to me and I can't help it- I tense up.

Hiccup is standing next to me, looking a bit nervous as he looks at the Twins work their magic. And despite everything I said, I find him being nervous kind of adorable... I really am hopeless, huh?

Trying to move away from that thought, I stop staring at him and I focus on the Twins as they bicker over something inane like always. "Yeah, they sure do love bopping each other's head." I answer him with a forced smile.

Hic chuckles next to me and shakes his head and despite how much I'm trying to ignore him, I pay attention to all and every motion and sound that comes from him.

"So...", he begins , hesitating while he rocks on his heels and this catches my attention. He wants to tell me something?

"I don't want to jinx this or anything but..." he says as he gestures at Tuff who is currently tackling Ruff, "After we're done with this uh... do you want to, like... go to the skiing resort with me...?"

This took me by surprise. No, not the fact that the Twins' plan wasn't going to work; the fact that Hic asked me to hang out with him like this. But... it's just a simple hanging-out deal... yeah, there's no other meaning behind it. Don't get your hopes up, Jack. It's just a friend thing.

"Uh... sure!" I said, trying to force a smile. "I don't... mind! But... uh, why?"

"Oh, well...!" he said, rubbing the back of his head with an awkward gesture, "I... did promise you to show you how to have fun with the snow, didn't I? And...", he faltered as his expression fell, "You... kinda look like you need to have some fun so... yeah?"

So that's it... I guess I wasn't doing a good job at repressing my feelings... Of course Hic would notice and worry. He's... worried about me... that's why he asked me to go with him.

Damn Hic... your kindness kinda hurts but I'm grateful you're my friend. I just wish we... No. Stop. Focus on having fun! Do it for Hic!

"Oh?" I say, with an actual feeling behind my voice. "I still don't know how fun and Hic is possible but if you say so..." I tease. To be honest, I'm curious about what kind of fun he's talking about.

The little Viking's face brightens upon hearing me say that and despite the rolling of his eyes, I can see relief spreading all over his being. "Prepare to be blown away, frosty twig."

"Did someone say blow away?"

Ruffnut's voice interrupts us and as we turn to look at her, we see the twins looking at us expectantly, Tuffnut holding a small device on his hand.

"Is that the signal?", asks Tuff to her sister.

"We have a signal?", she answers, confused.

Tuffnut shrugs and with a sly smile, he runs towards the group with device in hand, his sister joining us shortly as we back away even more. I don't know much about explosions, but I do know that a safe distance is essential so...

"Alright..." begins Tuff as he shows us the small device, his thumb hovering over a red button, "On 3, I'll press this and the bombs will explode, OK?". You could sense how tense everyone was... this was the moment of truth. If this worked, we'd be able to escape. But before we could even nod in agreement to Tuff's question...

"Huhn? Whatcha doing, you bastards?"

The cartoony voice of the Headmaster silenced us all. I looked in the general direction of the voice and there he was... Monobear... inspecting the explosive pile. Oh no... was he going to sabotage us?!

"Three!" yelled Tuff all of a sudden, and before any of us could react, the explosives emitted a soft beep and then the world became enveloped in a white flash and a deafening boom. It took me few seconds in the aftermath of the explosion to realize that I was on the floor, the power of the explosives knocking us all down, even at a distance.

I'm seriously never messing with the Twins ever again.

With a groan, I groggily got on my feet and, rubbing my eyes to adjust them to natural light, I looked at the place where the bombs had been set up.

Predictably, and yet despairingly so, the wall stood intact. Despite the ridiculous amount of explosives and the power of the explosion, the wall only had singe marks to show. It stood tall and strong and completely unperturbed. And still keeping us prisoners.

"Guess we need bigger explosives...", said Ruff, looking visibly disappointed.

"I... don't think that's a good idea..." said Flynn as he rubbed his rump. I had to agree... explosives are one kind of fun I'm not delving into any time soon.

"Hey... is that...?" said Tooth as she pointed at the remains of the explosives and upon looking at where she was pointing, I let out a small gasp.

Yes... even though only a leg remained... it was undoubtedly Monobear. Or whatever was left of him. Did he get caught in the explosion? Talk about a lucky break!

"Seems beast was not fast enough to escape." said Nick with suppressed happiness.

"Is he... really gone?" asked Punzie, eyeing the remains of the Headmaster with worry.

But before we could get any hope from that possibility...

"Geeeeez! You guys...! You made me waste a spare!" said Monobear as he popped right in front of us, fuming in the literal sense of the word, completely unharmed, "And this happened because you were up to no good! Seriously, I should spank all of you a 1000 times! Such naughty children!"

"No way... he's still alive!", said Snot, looking pale.

"Of course! If you really want to kill me dead you have to go through my Shadow Clone Jutsu Army of 1000! Nyahahaha!", said Monobear as he cackled boisterously, his red eye glinting. "But seriously... don't do that, OK? If you guys keep doing this naughty stuff, I'm gonna punish you all, OK? I'm going to have to make this a new rule..." and sure enough, the faint sound of all our ElectroIDs buzzing with a new notification alerted us to the new rule.

**-Handling of explosives is prohibited! The only one who's allowed to make an explosive impression is Monobear now!**

Damn it... we didn't accomplish anything and now our movements are more restricted? This blows.

"Puhuhu! So... did you really think you could escape like this?" said Monobear, his paws covering his mouth as he giggled, "Useless! You should just be nice kids and live your lives peacefully... kill each other... and do other teenager things instead of wasting your time with meaningless acts like these! There's no escape aside from surviving the Class Trial, so... do your best, OK?!"

Monobear's parting words... somehow made this failure feel even worse.

"Weeell..." began Fish, an uncomfortable expression on his face, "I guess we learned that Monobear does have spares... so this wasn't a complete failure, right?"

"It was a complete failure!" shouted Ruff, looking mortified. "This wall didn't even budge, we wasted tons of nice explosives and now we can't even use them anymore?!"

"I agree sis, this completely and utterly sucks.", supplemented Tuff, looking crestfallen.

"I guess everything is up to you, Hiccup." said Pitch, looking completely unaffected by the Twins' failure. He almost looked like he knew they were going to fail. "We're expecting great things from you."

The Ultimate Lucky Student stuttered at Pitch's comment, but before he could even answer, Snot interjected, looking indignant; "Hey! There's still my plan!"

"As Mr. Black was saying..." continued Elsa. with an annoyed face at the Ultimate Heavy Lifter, "It seems you are our last hope, Mr. Haddock. We are counting on you."

As everyone ignored a sulking Snot and looked expectantly at Hic, I couldn't help but feel bad at all the attention he was getting. He looked extremely nervous, sweat collecting in his brow. He laughed nervously before saying: "Geez, no pressure at all...", the sarcasm obvious in his voice. "Don't worry... I got this... just give me some more time." he added, this time more seriously.

And with that confirmation, the rest of the group dispersed slowly, leaving only the Viking, Toothless and me on the scene. Not wanting the silence to settle between us, I turned to face Hic with a teasing smile.

"So, O grand savior, are we going to work on the means of our escape now?" I asked, in a mocking grandiose tone of voice.

Hic merely rolled his eyes. "No, first we're getting you out of your funk, Jack. Come, we have a date with the skiing area." ...Why is he blushing?

"Uh, shouldn't we give priority to our escape, Hic? I mean, I'm all about fun but...", I said, trying to be somewhat responsible.

Hic shook his head. "Nah. If your mind is troubled, then you won't be able to work well. So, we're sorting out your issue first." he finished with a nod.

I know a way you can sort my issues Hic... with a ki- DAMN IT.

"I GUESS that's true..." I conceded. Either way, I was spending time with him like a masochist sucker, so I couldn't complain. "Very well, Hic, lead the way!" I said, more enthusiastic than I should be allowed to be.

Taking that as his cue, Hiccup started walking towards the Mountain Pass, a faint smile on his lips. Unconsciously, I had a smile on me as well. This... probably meant I was really looking forward to this. I had to laugh, really, I just keep tormenting myself. And I found that I liked that.

Suddenly all the times Hic called me an idiot playfully seemed to actually reflect the truth.

* * *

**Jack's POV**

Like Bunny and Mer told us, there was indeed a skiing resort west of the Grand Square. Why would Monobear even install a thing like this on a literal prison on the first place was beyond me, but I wasn't going to complain. A lot of the things that Monobear did didn't make sense in the first place. He certainly could make our existence and stay here far more hellish but instead he gave us a lot of commodities. I couldn't understand him, but then again, the Headmaster was night inscrutable and his way of thinking even more so.

That didn't deter me from enjoying the distractions he provided, even if he was trying to set us up for murder.

The skiing resort, named Slippery Slope in the ElectroID map, was exactly that. A giant slope littered with snow off the mountain-side. And just seeing this place, surrounded by evergreen trees also blanketed in snow, made me want to jump right into it, skiing or anything else be damned. I just... really liked snow and the cold in general. To me, it held endless possibilities, fun and it heralded the coming of spring, of new life. It sounded cheesy, I know, but that's how I felt.

And now, Hic was going to teach me how to have even more fun with it. I was literally jumping in my spot, much to Hic's and Toothless' amusement.

But, as we stood next to the contraption known as the ski loft, fully outfitted in winter clothing courtesy of the rental cottage near the loft, I realized I had no idea what skiing was or what Hic was supposed to show me. He was holding a weird board thing, colored green... but I still didn't know what kind of fun he was going to show me. Were we going to bash each other with this?

Hiccup saw my confused state and smiled knowingly. He took the board-like thing with his mitten-clad hands and put it in front of him with ease. "Ever heard of snowboarding?" he asked.

I shook my head, not bothering to mention that there were a lot of things that I hadn't heard off due to my amnesia. Seeing my denial, Hic took a deep breath before speaking:

"Well, snowboarding is a sport that you practice on slopes like these", he gestured to the slope behind us. "Uh... basically, you slide down the slope on this board at full speed."

I... think I understand... but... "Is that really fun?" I asked, unsure. It seemed rather... simple.

Hic looked a bit troubled but he nodded. "Trust me, it's better than what it sounds like. I'll bet you 10 bucks that you'll want to try it once you see it in action."

I snorted as I saw a hint of enthusiasm on those emerald green eyes of his. "Hic, we don't have any money, remember?" He really... looked alive when he talked about things he liked.

"Oh, you know what I meant!", said the Ultimate Lucky Student as he grabbed the snowboard and went to ride the loft, "Just watch and... be prepared to be amazed...!"

"Sure, whatever you say, Hic!" I shot back jovially. I was actually curious about this whole 'snowboarding' deal and while I didn't see the fun on it, I just had to know about it. It was with an awkward wave that Hic rode the lift, and as I saw his retreating figure (clad in a green sweater and dark blue wind pants), my excitement rose gradually. By the time Hiccup was at the top of the slope (which was perfectly clear of any obstacles and had a nice slant, not too steep nor too flat) I was ready to burst with excitement; I couldn't wait to see whatever what snowboarding was in action.

"So this is where ya two goofs ran off to!"

The heavily accented voice of Merida made me jump. Haha, I guess my focus was on Hiccup too much. The Ultimate Archer was looking at me with a wide grin, the redhead showing off a deep green sweater, blue scarf and some brown snow boots along with black snow pants under her usual dress. "When I saw ya two scurry off like that, I had my suspicions..." continued Merida, advancing on me with a smirk that honestly made me step back a bit. "...And I was right!" she shouted practically on my face. "You guys are so obvious, seriously!"

I... have no idea what she's talking about. "Uh, what? I'm just going to see Hic snowboard." I said as I pointed at him on top of the hill, getting ready to do... whatever he was going to do. The Ultimate Archer looked over to where I was pointing and a genuine look of surprise appeared on her face. "Huh... Didn't know Hic had that in 'im... he really is a bag of surprises!"

I nodded. True, I didn't know what snowboarding was, but Hiccup was certainly more than what he believed. He constantly undermines himself, yet he seems to have a nice variety of skills and he's also pretty smart. And unlike me, he has an actual Ultimate skill, even if he says it's a phony talent. He really was a bag of surprises. A bag that I wanted for mysel- dang it.

Trying to get my mind out of that train of thought, I instead focused on the Ultimate Lucky Student, who looked ready to go. After a quick thumbs up from him that we returned and a moment of hesitation, Hic got on his board and he began his descent.

Hic not only undermined himself; he undermined everything, including snowboarding. Because what I was seeing was completely unlike what he told me. His description didn't make it justice.

At first, he started slow, but soon enough the Ultimate Lucky Student began picking up speed until he was a literal green blur. But he wasn't only moving at an unreal speed, no, he wasn't just sliding down the slope. The way he wove between the little snow mounds, how he snaked around and how he slid over them without fear of wiping out... he even jumped from the bigger ones and did horizontal flips without hesitating... and his face had this absolute look of pure concentration...

And it looked so much fun...! The way he did all these big turns, how he almost effortlessly sailed over the air and how he performed those stunts...!

Yes. Snowboarding looked awesome! It looked fun! And Hic... he looked so...

"Whoa, Hiccup IS good!"

Exactly. Merida took the words out of my mouth. Hic was good... and he looked good.

"Yeah... he's amazing." I said, unable to take my eyes off the little Viking. I even laughed when Toothless decided to slide down the slope, accompanying his friend but without clashing with him. The Night Fury moved with the movements of Hic, almost as if this were a routine to them.

"Ayup, that he is." Said Mer, looking pleased as she saw the little Viking clear a slope with practiced movements. "So, when are ya gonna tell 'im?"

"Huh?", what is she talking about? "What do you mean, Mer?"

The redhead rolled her eyes, either because of the nickname or my question, before speaking: "Obviously, I mean when are you going to tell 'im that you love 'im, dingus."

...Wait, what? D-did my brain short-circuit or did my hearing go bad...? She couldn't possibly... wait what.

"Uh... W-what do you... mean...", No... she couldn't be talking about... Sheesh! Why is it hot all of a sudden?! It's freezing and yet this stupid heat in my cheeks...!

"Please, Overland. I ain't blind! Like I said, you two are so obvious!", she answered, looking exasperated. "Really, I'm surprised Hiccup hasn't noticed! The way you flirt is so unsubtle I'd thought you'd start makin' out on the spot!"

Yeah. I didn't think I could blush harder than what I am right now. God...! Guess the cat's out of the bag, huh? "...Was I really that obvious...?" I said in defeat.

Merida rolled her eyes once again. "So, like I asked. When are you going to tell 'im?"

I swallowed hard and looked away from here. This part of the conversation again... "I... won't tell him. Hic doesn't feel like that about me..." I mumbled, and that pain I was trying to ignore came back again, a hollow feeling spreading on my chest.

Merida snorted and that made me look at her. This isn't funny...! Why is she...?! "Oh Jack...!" She said with a knowing smile. "When I said you were obvious... I mean ya two you goof!"

Huh? "What do you-" but before I could continue, she shushed me by putting a finger on my lips.

"Do I really have to explain it to ya? Really? How couldn't ya have noticed?! The way he acts around ya... how he always looks at you when he thinks ya aren't lookin'… how he cares about you and always hangs around you before any of us?", she shook her head after waiting for me to answer her questions, me unable to do so because I was so shocked.

Did... did that stuff really...? No way... Really?! "So... what... are you saying that...?", my voice quivered due to my disbelief and... a growing sense of hope. "You really think he... that Hic...?!"

She snickered as she saw my expression, which I could see reflected in her eyes. "Wow, boys are so dumb. I ain't even interested in this stuff and even I could tell."

But... if what she says is true... then... "But... he said to Monobear we would never be..."

"Never be what?", she inquired, suddenly looked alarmed. But to my... err, embarrassment? I... just realized...

"Err... well..", oh man. I think I... jumped the gun back there when Hic said that... "Never mind!" Yeah, that... is a really big assumption I made back there. I can't believe I had all this doubt inside of me just because I let my fears form conclusions... "...So, you really think Hic is...?", but I still had to ask, in a hushed tone. I didn't want to make a mistake and ruin everything.

"Hey, I don't think I'm wrong but...", says Merida and her expression falls a little. She almost looks... wistful?, "It's better to ask and find out than never doin ' so, y'know? I definitely think you should tell 'im... before its too late or someone else gets to 'im."

At those words, a mental image of Anna appeared in my head. Yeah... I don't think I want that to happen. "Yeah, you're... you're right!". I can't hesitate anymore. It's better to ask and find out the truth... than to never find out.

"That's the spirit, Jackie!", shouted Mer, and I was too excited to get mad at her nickname of choice. Yeah... I'm definitely going to tell him! As soon as he gets here, I'm gonna tell him how I feel-

A loud static noise filled the area, making us all flinch. I turned around to see the ski lift and sure enough, a monitor was there. And that monitor was flashing with static. No... not now!

That odious visage, and that annoying cartoony, laid-back voice soon came afterwards. "Hey, so um...", began the Headmaster, leaning his head on his left paw, "I'm bored, y'know? You are all having fun without me and that's completely unfair and not good for my health. You're literally driving me to death with your peaceful lives! What this camp trip needs is action...! Adrenaline...! And cheap acting skills!", Monobear rambled on as he waved his arms agitatedly. "And the only thing that can provide that kind of entertainment is... movies! So! How about we watch a cool movie together, you guys?"

Wait... what?

"I see you're all curious! Don't worry, my movie taste is top-notch! I even made a movie myself! The Wizard of Monomi... ah, those were the days...", continued the Headmaster, despite our confusion. What... is he plotting?, "Anyways! Please gather at the A/V Room! We're going to have a despairfully delightful time! Toodle-oo!"

And with that, the monitor went dark, leaving us in the dark as well.

"I don't like this..."

The sudden voice of Hic made me yelp in surprise. Toothless and the Ultimate Lucky Student were standing behind me, looking at the monitor with a grave look. "Yah, I feel ya...", agreed Merida. And the feeling was mutual, too. There's no way... Monobear is going to show us a normal movie. This is definitely a trap. And yet...

"I guess... we should get going...", I said without any emotion. I didn't want to do this, but the Headmaster was very clear with his rules. If we defied him... we were going to be punished. And there's no way I would put Hic in that kind of danger. Not before we escape and not before I tell him...

But that's not important right now.

With a hum of agreement from my friends, we slowly made our way out of the skiing area, the snowboard discarded, and we walked towards the A/V Room, a feeling of apprehension in my heart.

What... is the Headmaster's plot this time?

* * *

**I've been writing as Jack a lot lately huh... guess I find him interesting to write! In any case, sorry for the tease! **

**Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon!**

**See ya!**


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